LOCUS OF CONTROL ORIENTATION AND LEVEL - Drake University

controlled by forces outside of himself and may
occur independently of his own actions (p. 1).
Rotter (1966) further explained that what is important to note is that the
effects of reinforcement are not a given for all individuals but are dependent
upon how they perceive the reward as a result of the intended behavior. This
perception was classified by Rotter as a generalized expectancy of either intern&
or external control. A generalized expectancy is an individual's "consistent
beliefs which influence behavior in various situations" (Wallston, Maides &
Wallston, 1976, p. 21 6). Rotter described the generalized expectancy of
external control as:
When reinforcement is perceived by4he subject as
following some action of his own but not being
entirely contingent upon his actions, then, in our
culture, it is typically perceived as luck, chance,
fate as under the control of power others, or as
unpredictable because of the great complexity of
the forces surrounding him (p. 1).
Rotter describes the generalized expectancy of internd control " . . .if the person
perceives that the event is contingent upon his own behavior or his own
relatively permanent characteristics" (p. 1). He stated: "A perception of causal
relationship need not be all or none but can Vary in degree" (R~tkr, P a 1).
Ratter developed the Rotter I-E (internal/externd) LOC scale that nwasures a
person ' s control orientation.