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Locus Of Control Scale

Do you think your life is in your control, or is it out of your hands? Take this test to find out if you have an 'internal' or 'external locus of control.'

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

December 26, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Locus of control refers to the degree to which individuals believe they have control over the outcomes of events. Some people have an internal locus of control, which means they see themselves as the primary agents of change in their lives. On the other hand, those with an external locus of control attribute outcomes to external factors such as luck or others' actions.

This distinction can profoundly shape one's mindset, coping strategies and how a person sees the world around them. Individuals with an external locus of control may struggle with feelings of helplessness, as they may believe their actions have little impact on outcomes. Conversely, those with an internal locus of control may develop a heightened sense of responsibility, feeling pressured to succeed or blame themselves for failures. Both extremes can impact self-esteem and the ability to navigate challenges with balance.

Using the Locus of Control Scale provides a way to assess whether you lean more toward an internal or external locus of control. This can give you insight into how you ultimately perceive and respond to life's challenges. This tool can be especially helpful for those seeking to understand the underlying beliefs driving decision-making and coping strategies. Identifying these tendencies can pave the way for healthier emotional patterns.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological monographs: General and applied, 80(1), 1-28.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. Many of the unhappy things in people's lives are partly due to bad luck.

2. There will always be wars, no matter how hard people try to prevent them.

3. Unfortunately, an individual's worth often passes unrecognized no matter how hard he tries.

4. Most students don't realize the extent to which their grades are influenced by accidental happenings.

5. Without the right breaks one cannot be an effective leader.

6. No matter how hard you try, some people just don't like you.

7. I have often found that what is going to happen will happen.

8. Many times exam questions tend to be so unrelated to course work that studying is really useless.

9. Getting a good job depends mainly on being in the right place at the right time.

10. This world is run by the few people in power, and there is not much the little guy can do about it.

11. It is not always wise to plan too far ahead because many things turn out to be a matter of good or bad fortune anyhow.

12. Many times we might just as well decide what to do by flipping a coin.

13. Who gets to be the boss often depends on who was lucky enough to be in the right place first.

14. As far as world affairs are concerned, most of us are the victims of forces we can neither understand, nor control.

15. Most people don't realize the extent to which their lives are controlled by accidental happenings.

16. It is hard to know whether or not a person really likes you.

17. In the long run, the bad things that happen to us are balanced by the good ones.

18. It is difficult for people to have much control over the things politicians do in office.

19. Sometimes I can't understand how teachers arrive at the grades they give.

20. Many times I feel that I have little influence over the things that happen to me.

21. There's not much use in trying too hard to please people; if they like you, they like you.

22. Sometimes I feel that I don't have enough control over the direction my life is taking.

23. Most of the time I can't understand why politicians behave the way they do.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.