Locus of Control

Discover whether you believe you control your destiny or if external forces shape your life.

What is Locus of Control?

Locus of control is a psychological concept that refers to how strongly you believe you have control over the events in your life. Developed by psychologist Julian Rotter in 1954, this construct has become fundamental to understanding motivation, behavior, and psychological wellbeing.

The term "locus" comes from Latin, meaning "place" or "location." Your locus of control indicates where you believe control over your life resides—inside yourself (internal) or outside yourself (external).

Internal vs. External Locus of Control

Internal Locus of Control

People with an internal locus of control believe that their actions, efforts, and decisions primarily determine what happens to them. They tend to think:

• "If I work hard, I'll succeed"
• "I failed because I didn't prepare well enough"
• "My health depends on the choices I make"
• "I create my own opportunities"

External Locus of Control

People with an external locus of control believe that factors outside themselves—luck, fate, powerful others, or circumstances—primarily determine outcomes. They tend to think:

• "Success depends on being in the right place at the right time"
• "I failed because the test was unfair"
• "My health is mostly about genetics"
• "Opportunities happen to lucky people"

The Science Behind Locus of Control

Research Foundation

Julian Rotter developed the concept as part of his social learning theory. He observed that people differ in how they perceive the relationship between their behavior and its outcomes. Since then, thousands of studies have examined locus of control across various domains.

What Research Shows

Internal locus of control is associated with:

• Higher academic achievement
• Greater career success
• Better physical health outcomes
• Lower rates of depression and anxiety
• More effective stress coping
• Stronger motivation to change behavior

However, the picture is nuanced:

• Very high internal locus can lead to excessive self-blame
• External locus may be realistic in genuinely uncontrollable situations
• Cultural factors influence what's considered healthy
• Different domains may have different loci

How the Rotter Scale Works

The Assessment Structure

The Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale presents 29 pairs of statements. For each pair, you choose which statement you agree with more. For example:

Pair 1:

• a) "Many of the unhappy things in people's lives are partly due to bad luck"
• b) "People's misfortunes result from the mistakes they make"

Scoring

The scale measures your tendency toward internal or external locus of control. Lower scores indicate internal locus; higher scores indicate external locus.

Score Interpretation:

• 0-8: Strong internal locus
• 9-16: Moderate (balanced) locus
• 17-23: External locus tendency

Understanding Your Results

Strong Internal Locus

People with strong internal locus of control:

Strengths:

• Take responsibility for their actions
• Persist in the face of obstacles
• Set and pursue meaningful goals
• Proactively solve problems
• Feel empowered to make changes

Potential Challenges:

• May blame themselves excessively when things go wrong
• Might underestimate the role of circumstances
• Could become frustrated when they can't control outcomes
• May struggle to accept help from others

External Locus Tendency

People with external locus tendencies:

Challenges:

• May feel helpless in difficult situations
• Might not take action to improve circumstances
• Could attribute success entirely to luck
• May struggle with motivation

Potential Strengths:

• Can be more accepting of uncontrollable situations
• May be less prone to self-blame
• Might be more open to seeking help
• Could be more realistic about limitations

The Ideal: Balanced Locus

Research suggests the healthiest position is a nuanced one that recognizes:

• There are things you can control and things you cannot
• Your efforts matter, but so do circumstances
• Sometimes bad things happen to good people
• You can influence many outcomes but not guarantee them

Practical Applications

In Daily Life

For Those with External Locus:

• Identify specific areas where you can take action
• Start small—make one change and observe the results
• Keep a "wins journal" documenting times your efforts paid off
• Challenge thoughts like "there's nothing I can do"

For Those with Very High Internal Locus:

• Practice distinguishing between influence and control
• Accept that some things are genuinely outside your control
• Learn to ask for and accept help
• Practice self-compassion when outcomes disappoint

In Relationships

Locus of control affects relationships:

• Internal locus individuals may take responsibility for relationship quality but might blame themselves excessively for problems
• External locus individuals might blame partners for issues but may be more accepting of imperfections
• Mismatched pairs can create conflict—one partner may feel the other doesn't take enough responsibility

In Career

Internal locus of control predicts:

• Job satisfaction
• Career advancement
• Entrepreneurial success
• Proactive career management
• Higher earning potential

How to Develop Internal Locus of Control

1. Increase Self-Awareness

Start noticing your attributions:

• When something good happens, do you credit yourself or luck?
• When something goes wrong, do you blame yourself or circumstances?
• Are your attributions realistic?

2. Focus on What You Can Control

Use the "circles of control" model:

• Circle of control: Things you directly control (your actions, words, attitudes)
• Circle of influence: Things you can affect but not control (others' opinions, some outcomes)
• Circle of concern: Things you care about but cannot influence (world events, weather)

Invest your energy in the inner circles.

3. Set and Achieve Small Goals

Build evidence that your actions matter:

• Set specific, achievable goals
• Take action and track results
• Celebrate when your efforts lead to outcomes
• Learn from setbacks without excessive self-blame

4. Challenge External Attributions

When you catch yourself thinking "there's nothing I can do":

• Ask: "What small action could I take?"
• Consider: "What aspects of this situation can I influence?"
• Remember past situations where your actions made a difference

5. Accept What You Can't Control

Paradoxically, accepting limits to your control can strengthen internal locus by focusing your energy appropriately. Use practices like:

• Serenity prayer mindset: "Change what I can, accept what I cannot"
• Mindfulness for acceptance
• Stoic philosophy

Locus of Control Across Domains

Research shows locus of control can vary by domain:

• Health Locus of Control: Do you believe your health depends on your choices or factors beyond your control?
• Work Locus of Control: Do you believe career success depends on effort or luck/politics?
• Relationship Locus of Control: Do you believe relationship quality depends on your actions or your partner's behavior?

You might have internal locus in one area and external in another.

Cultural Considerations

Locus of control has cultural dimensions:

• Western cultures tend to emphasize individual control
• Eastern cultures may emphasize harmony with circumstances
• Neither is inherently better—context matters
• What's considered "healthy" varies by culture

Common Misconceptions

"Internal Locus is Always Better"

Very high internal locus can be problematic:

• Excessive self-blame for uncontrollable events
• Ignoring systemic barriers and injustice
• Burnout from trying to control everything
• Difficulty accepting help

"External Locus Means You're Lazy"

External locus can reflect realistic assessment of:

• Genuine barriers and constraints
• Systemic factors affecting outcomes
• Areas where effort has limited impact
• Situations requiring acceptance rather than action

"Locus of Control is Fixed"

Locus of control can and does change:

• Therapy can help shift toward internal locus
• Life experiences shape beliefs about control
• Deliberate practice can develop internal locus
• Context can temporarily shift locus

Related Assessments

Explore other assessments that complement locus of control:

• Resilience: Internal locus supports bouncing back from adversity
• Growth Mindset: Belief that abilities can be developed through effort
• Grit: Perseverance toward long-term goals

Further Reading

• Rotter, J. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement
• Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control
• Lefcourt, H. (1982). Locus of Control: Current Trends in Theory and Research

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Take the free Locus of Control Assessment at innerquest.app/locus-of-control