Locus of control refers to a person’s belief about what is responsible for the events and outcomes in their life. The concept was developed by Julian B. Rotter within his social learning theory and describes whether individuals generally perceive outcomes as dependent on their own behaviour and characteristics or on external forces such as chance, luck, fate, powerful others or unpredictable circumstances.
There are two broad orientations i.e., internal locus of control and external locus of control. Individuals with a more internal locus of control tend to believe that their success or failure is influenced by their effort, decisions, abilities and hard work. For example, they may think “I need to improve” or “I have not studied enough.” They are more likely to take responsibility for both their successes and failures, accept their mistakes, remain motivated, and believe that their actions can influence outcomes. In contrast, individuals with a more external locus of control tend to believe that events occur because of luck, fate, other people or circumstances beyond their control. This may be associated with blaming others, feeling powerless, reduced motivation, and greater psychological distress; however, these associations should not be understood as applying to every individual or situation.
Locus of control is not an all-or-none characteristic. It is better understood as a continuum ranging from relatively internal to relatively external, and most people fall somewhere between these two extremes. A person may take responsibility for their own actions while also recognising that some situations are influenced by factors outside their control and that seeking help from others may be appropriate. Thus, a balanced position involves accepting personal responsibility without assuming that every outcome is entirely within one’s control.
Locus of control is related to, but different from, self-efficacy. Locus of control concerns the question, “Who or what controls the outcome?” whereas self-efficacy a concept introduced by Albert Bandura concerns the question “Can I perform this task successfully?” A person may believe that their actions influence an outcome but still have low confidence in their ability to carry out the required behaviour. Therefore, having a more internal locus of control does not necessarily mean that a person has high self-efficacy.
Locus of control may also influence how people experience stress. Individuals who generally perceive outcomes as controlled by external factors may feel less able to influence stressful situations and may experience greater anxiety, helplessness, or psychological distress. Research has linked a more external locus of control, particularly when combined with lower self-efficacy with higher psychological distress however the relationship is complex and depends on the situation and the person’s broader circumstances.
