Locus of Control: Definition and
Conceptual Background
A person’s belief about the perceived
causes (internal vs. external) for their success or failure. An
internal attribution orientation is present when a person perceives
their success or failure as contingent on their own behavior and
due to relatively unchanging personal characteristics. An external
orientation is present when success or failure is perceived as
being under the control of others, unpredictable, and the result of
luck, chance, or fate.
Locus of control is an individual’s
beliefs about the perceived causes (internal or external) for
personal success or failure on a task. According to attribution
theory, when a student fails or succeeds at a task (e.g., failing a
reading exam or a particular assignment), the student analyzes the
situation to determine the causes for the outcome. An
internal attribution orientation is inferred when a student
perceives personal success or failure as contingent on their
behavior and relatively permanent personal characteristics.
An external orientation is present when a student views
academic success or failure as being under the control of others,
unpredictable, and/or the result of luck, chance, or fate (Elliott,
1997; Linnenbrink & Pintrich, 2002b; Rotter, 1966).
Causal attributions are categorized as per the dimensions of
stability (the stability of the cause), locus (internal or
external), and controllability (can the perceived cause be
controlled).
