Locus of Control
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
Locus of control, also known as internal-external control tendency, control perspective, control trajectory, control center, or control belief, is a dimensional concept in psychology and personality psychology. The concept was originally developed by American social learning theorist Julian Rotter and has become a field of personality research. It refers to whether people's behavior is determined by their own control (internal locus of control) or by external forces beyond their control (external locus of control). Individuals with an internal locus of control believe they can control their lives; those with an external locus believe that life decisions and circumstances are influenced by environmental factors, chance, or fate beyond their control. Individuals with a strong internal locus of control believe that events in their lives are primarily the result of their own behavior; for example, when evaluated, they tend to praise or blame themselves and their abilities. Individuals with a strong external locus of control tend to praise or blame external factors, such as their teacher or the test format. Locus of control has been shown to predict certain work outcomes, particularly job satisfaction and job performance.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Locus of control, also known as internal-external control tendency, control perspective, control trajectory, control center, or control belief, is a dimensional concept in psychology and personality psychology. The concept was originally developed by American social learning theorist Julian Rotter and has become a field of personality research. It refers to whether people's behavior is determined by their own control (internal locus of control) or by external forces beyond their control (external locus of control).
Anchor fast decisions
Rotter proposed that an individual's tendency to attribute the causes of event outcomes constitutes their 'locus of control'. Internals attribute outcomes to their own effort/ability, while externals attribute them to luck/fate/others. Locus of control influences motivation, coping strategies, and mental health; it is not always better to be more internal, but rather it should be adjusted according to the situation.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more
Source support: Explicit
- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%8E%A7%E5%88%B6%E7%82%B9verified
PRIVATE NOTES · Only visible to you
SAVED Q&A
ENTRY Q&A · Private saving available
Ask with a clear boundary
thinkingmodels answers from published entry context only.
Your question is sent to thinkingmodels. The answer uses public entry context only.