Locus of control is a theory in personality psychology. It often refers to the extent to which a certain individual believes they can control what occurs in their life. This concept was developed by Julian B. Rotter in the 1950’s. Today, it is widely used in different personality studies.
A person’s locus can either be external or internal. If a person’s locus is external, they believe that the environment, a higher power, or other people control the decisions they make. If a person’s locus is internal, they typically believe that they are the only ones that control their life and what happens within it.
I recently took a Locus of Control Survey. Scores from this survey can range from 0 to 23. Higher scores reflect someone with an internal locus of control. This type of person usually has a sense of personal empowerment and often has a more optimistic outlook on life. They believe that the events that happen in their life are a direct result from their own personal behavior and actions. A person with a high internal locus, has better control of their personal behavior. Those with a high internal locus are more likely to assume they will be successful. Lower scores reflect someone with an external locus of control. This type of person usually has a sense of helplessness and they often think negative thoughts about themselves.
After taking this survey, I received a score of 12. This score falls right in the middle. Therefore, I am considered to have both an external and an internal locus of control. Overall, I would agree with the scores for this particular time in my life. However, I do believe that I would normally have a higher score. I am currently going through some personal situations that I believe have temporarily altered my train of thought, causing me to receive a lower score. I recently broke off a long relationship and I just moved into a new apartment with a new roommate. Also, starting back to school always stresses me out for the first few weeks. Typically, I am a very optimistic person and I love life. I also thought the survey had some grey areas. Not all of the questions applied to me personally, so I wasn't 100% sure how to answer it.
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