Locus of control

• What is Locus of control? The extent to which individuals believe how much control they have over their lives.
• What is meant by high Internal LOC? The belief that things happen as a results of choices and decisions. Having a high Internal LOC is believed to make individuals more resistant to social pressures.
• What is meant by High External LOC? The belief that things happen as a result of luck, fate or other external forces.
• What research support Locus of Control? Holland: He repeated Milgram's baseline study and measured the particpants LOC. Found that 37% of internals did not continue to the highest shock level. Only 23% of externals did not continue to the highest shock level. Internals showed greater resitence to authority.

  
  

  This increases the validity of the LOC explanation.
• What research contradicts Locus of Control? Twenge et al: Meta-analysis over a 40 year period of Americans. Over this time span people have become more resistant to obedience but also more external.

  This challenges the link between LOC and resisting behaviour.

  However, this could be due to a change in society there many things are out of personal control (confounding variables).
• What other factors could be involved in resisting social Influence? -Systematic Processing:Analysis based on critical thinking. Given time to consider the consquences.

  
  

  -Morality: Decisions and behevaiour based on the perception of proper conduct. (Milgram: PP in post study interview sated he was a vicar)

  
  

  -Personality: Combination of characteristics that forms an individuals nature.