The construction of a normative scale of locus of control

Abstract

The primary objective of the study was to construct a normative scale of locus of control for use with students and adults. A corollary of the study was to establish the personality, interest and cognitive correlates of locus of control. Conceptually the instrument is based on attribution theory and on social learning theory. The first edition of the Locus of Control Inventory (LCI) was applied to 356 first-year university students during 1994. A factor analysis of the 65 items of the inventory yielded three factors. The factors were interpreted as Autonomy, Internal Control and External Control. Three scales, corresponding to the three factors, were constructed, and yielded reliability coefficients of 0,80; 0,77 and 0,81 respectively. Following this the cognitive, interest and personality correlates of the LCI were determined. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Opsomming
Die hoofdoel van die studie was die konstruksie van ’n normatiewe skaal van lokus van beheer vir gebruik met studente en volwassenes. ’n Newe-doelwit van die studie was om die persoonlikheids-, belangstellings- en kognitiewe korrelate van lokus van beheer te bepaal. Konseptueel is die instrument op attribusieteorie en sosiale-leerteorie gebaseer. Die eerste-uitgawe van die Lokus van Beheervraelys (LvB) is op 356 eerstejaaruniversiteitstudente toegepas gedurende 1994. ’n Faktorontleding van die 65 items van die vraelys is gedoen en het drie faktore opgelewer. Die faktore is as Outonomie, Interne Beheer en Eksterne Beheer geïnterpreteer. Voorts is drie skale wat ooreenstem met die drie faktore, gekonstrueer en het betroubaarhede van 0,80; 0,77 en 0,81, onderskeidelik, opgelewer. Vervolgens is die kognitiewe, belangstellings- en persoonlikheidskorrelate van die LvB bepaal. Die implikasies van die bevindinge word bespreek.