LOCUS OF CONTROL
AN EVALUATION ESCALE
Abstract
The research was aimed to construct a locus of control
scale. Three studies were conducted with students of elementary school, high school, and college. The subjects were of both sexes and of high,
middle, and low socioeconomic status.
Study 1. A total of 227 students answered a questionnaire about their
reinforcements and the reinforcements' sources of control. The
reinforcements were gathered in five áreas: academic, occupational,
emotional, recreational and basic needs' satisfaction. The sources of
control were: personal, significant personal relations, organizations, state,
government, politicians, economic power, society, luck, God. Study 2. The
results of Study 1 provided the basis for Study 2. Four scales were
administered to 521 students: instrumental internality, sociopolitic
alienation or control by macro social system, luck, and control by micro
social system. The jnstrument included 61 items in a Likert type scale. The
data were submitted to factor analysis (varimax rotation). The results of
factor analysis supported empirically the existence of the expected
factors.
Study 3. The scales were administered to 1008 students. Some items
were replaced. The results of factor analysis gave empirical support for
the expected dimensions. The first four factors explained 45,2 percent of
variance and the Cronbach's Alphas were: instrumental internality: 0,86;
sociopolitical alienation; 0,88; luck: 0,83; control by micro social system:
0,78. The results are compared with previous research conducted by the
author in México City. The results are also compared with U.S. scales. As
a conclusion of the study the author proposes the elaboration of an
individuaI's profile and not an internal-external tipology. Key-words: locus
of control, scales, psychometry.
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References
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