locus+of+control

= = = Definition: = Rotter's concept of a cognitive factor that explains how people account for what happens in ther lives- either seeing themselves as primarily in control of their behavior and its consequences (internal locus of control) or perceiving what happens to them to be in the hands of fate, luck, or chance (external locus of control). Gen Psych, Chapter 11, p. 366

= Examples: = Cami and Joan went to a casino where Joan won the jackpot on the game she was playing. Cami has an external locus of control and thinks that Joan won because she is lucky. Joan has an internal locus of control and thinks that she won as a result of effective playing strategies.

= Analogies: = Think of locus as location...is your control located inside of you or outside of you (internal vs. external)?

= Mnemonics: = [insert mnemonics here] (give a mnemonic in place of the bracketed text above, then delete these instructions. Please do not delete instructions unless you are adding something to this section. If you don't know of any mnemonics, leave this section unchanged for someone else to improve on.)

=In the News:= [|Locus of Control] As the environment around you changes, you can either attribute success and failure to things you have control over, or to forces outside your influence. Which orientation you choose has a bearing on your long-term success. This orientation is known as your "locus of control". Its study dates back to the 1960s, with Julian Rotter's investigation into how people's behaviors and attitudes affected the outcomes of their lives...

[|Develop An Internal Locus of Control] Research has shown that those with an internal locus of control--that is, they feel that they control their own destiny, rather than their fate being largely determined by external forces--tend to be happier, less depressed, and less stressed. Fortunately, if your locus of control isn't as 'internal' as you'd like it to be, there are things you can do to change your locus of control and empower yourself. Here's a process to practice...

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