Internality in psychology. What is it, definition

Determining Rotter's Locus of Control

What is locus of control? This is a personality trait in which a person explains his successes and failures by the influence of external or internal factors. Translated from French, locus is location, and contrôle is verification. In psychology, the concept of locus of control suggests that people look for the reason for everything that happens either in the environment (a bad streak, fate, the machinations of ill-wishers) or in their inner world. This is how they justify all their actions.

The term was introduced into science by Julian Rotter. That is why the phenomenon is called Rotter's locus of control. It is also called cognitive orientation. It shows whether an individual controls his own life or relies on circumstances.

Forming a locus of control

Several factors influence the development of Rotter's locus of control:

• personality traits of a particular person;
• upbringing;
• historical moment;
• society.

Depending on them, a person develops a passive or active position towards life. In the first case, he believes that nothing depends on him. And in the second, that he can still change something.

According to Julian Rotter, what one's position will be depends largely on how often a person was punished or praised as a child. He put forward this assumption in 1954. So, if after committing any actions an individual heard only reproaches and humiliation, the attitude will appear in his mind: “I can’t do anything, I have no control over what is happening.” The same thing happens if actions do not bring the expected result.

It turns out that upbringing plays one of the main roles in the formation of one or another type of locus of control. There are 2 examples:

1. A child growing up in an authoritarian family, in which mom and dad raise him inconsistently, develops external control. Going with the flow is a habit for him.
2. Children whose parents were consistent in their upbringing always take responsibility for their actions upon themselves.

And although the locus of control is formed starting in childhood, it can be changed. You can change your destiny in the same way.

Features of leading values ​​and their relationship with internality in adolescence and adulthood

Studies to determine the relationship between internality and values ​​(including moral and material) in adulthood and adolescence have been carried out repeatedly. According to the results, teenage respondents want to have high material wealth in the future. The sphere of realization of values ​​is hobbies and social life.

In people of mature age, faith in a Higher Power is more pronounced. This is due to the presence of an internal locus of control. Students usually perceive religion philosophically. They rarely observe rituals.

The stages of youth and teenage socialization are accompanied by the formation of a personal value sphere. It develops under the influence of the social environment. A person gets the opportunity to independently specify, form, change or accept generally accepted values. People with high test scores understand and accept the relationship between universal, material and spiritual values.

Internality in psychology allows for social and personal control. This term denotes a person’s willingness to take responsibility for his actions, without relying on fate and circumstances. Internals quickly adapt to society and easily establish contact with others.

Types of locus of control

As stated above, locus of control is divided into external and internal. Each of them has its own characteristics.

External (external)

The external locus of control is also known as external locus of control. This is a state where a person blames external conditions for everything. He believes that his life is predetermined by someone or something. Therefore, his actions will not change either the present or the future. If he managed to successfully cope with the task, that’s how the circumstances developed. And if failures follow, it’s all the stars’ fault.

A person with an external locus of control does not want to be held accountable for their actions. He transfers it to anything. It could be the people around you, the universe, some abstract forces and much more. There are always culprits for what happens. Such individuals are called externals.

Internal (internal)

Unlike the external locus of control, the internal or internal locus of control encourages people to be confident that control over life belongs only to them. If something doesn’t work out, internals look for the reason in themselves, and not in the circumstances. They evaluate their internal state and abilities. If they praise, it is only themselves. They make themselves objects of criticism.

This type of locus of control by J. Rotter in psychology is called average. A person understands that there are factors from whose influence he cannot get rid of. And he accepts them. But at the same time, he leads a fairly active lifestyle and is not afraid to take responsibility and make decisions. As they say, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade out of them.

Attention! There are no 100% pure internals or externals. A person combines both types of locus of control.

In the process of evolution, according to scientists, women have better developed externality. Men are characterized by an internal locus of control.

Practical benefits:

Knowing your locus of control can give you a very effective tool for improvement, self-analysis, understanding your strengths and weaknesses, changing your attitude towards what is happening to you - a powerful impetus for personal growth and development.

Sometimes a superficial analysis is enough; probably, while you were reading this article, you were able to notice similarities with one of the personality types.

The predominance of external traits indicates the need to learn to take responsibility for what is happening, to be more proactive, and to see one’s contribution in addition to external influences.

People inclined to internality should strive to understand that it is impossible to keep absolutely everything under control, especially since not everyone needs this control, no one is able to know and be able to do everything.

Achieving a balance of these traits is the key to harmonious personal development.

Types of people

According to psychologists, a person’s self-esteem is closely dependent on his locus of control. Anyone who constantly controls himself internally knows how to objectively assess his abilities and capabilities. He has a correct awareness of himself as a person. So, internals and externals. How are they different from each other?

Characteristics of internals:

• take responsibility for any of their actions;
• do not depend on the opinions of others;
• value themselves, are self-sufficient;
• have internal harmony;
• have a stable psyche;
• work for results.

People with an internal locus of control are usually happy, successful, and healthy. They treat others kindly. They look at the world through a positive lens.

Those with an external locus of control have the following traits:

• they don’t see their mistakes;
• do not know how to analyze mistakes and correct them;
• constantly feel helpless;
• depend on the opinions of strangers;
• have an unstable psyche;
• stop actions at the first failures.

A constant companion of externalities is a feeling of complete hopelessness. They are not happy, they experience weakness and malaise, and they do not receive joy from their lives. Such people show aggression, suspicion, and anxiety.

The main differences between externals and internals can be listed in the table.

It is worth noting that people with an external locus of control are more likely than others to develop mental and somatic pathologies. Their lives have no purpose or meaning.

Examples

An external locus of control makes a person believe that everything good and bad happens in his life due to external circumstances. For example, he can give the following explanations for the events happening to him:

• graduated from university with bad grades because the education system in the country is bad;
• I was late for work because there were traffic jams;
• the salary is low because the management does not appreciate it;
• It is not possible to get rid of excess weight due to bad heredity.

He also explains positive events by external circumstances. For example, many students believe that they entered the university by pure luck, and subsequently it seems to them that they are often lucky in their studies. And yet, much more often, externality manifests itself in the fact that a person blames circumstances and others for his troubles.

Individuals with an internal locus of control consider events that happen to them to be their own achievements or failures. Typically their explanations look like this:

• I didn’t study very diligently, that’s why my grades were bad;
• I was late for work because I left very late;
• the salary is low because there are not enough qualifications for promotion;
• excess weight cannot be lost due to poor eating habits and reluctance to exercise.

Of course, individuals with an internal locus of control also credit positive events to their own merits. They consider good education, discipline, a slim figure, high income, etc. In communication, such people are more pleasant, because they are always confident in themselves and almost never exude negativity.

Personal maturity

Internal locus of control in psychology is a property of a mature person. He doesn't care what other people think about him. He gives an objective, not subjective assessment of his abilities and capabilities. But in this case it is difficult not to go to extremes.

To stick to the golden mean, set goals that you can definitely achieve. Don't try to change circumstances beyond your control. Otherwise, you are guaranteed to experience disappointment, depression, and apathy. And one more piece of advice - analyze your surroundings. If you see instability, do not make far-reaching plans.

Theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding internality as a psychological phenomenon

Internality in psychology is a kind of personal development.

The following methodological approaches help to understand the psychological phenomenon:

• Observation. The method is based on the collection of information through systematic, targeted and direct perception. During observation of the subject, it is necessary to record psychological and social phenomena (including activities and behavioral facts).
• Experiment. In this case, researchers must intervene more actively in the activities of the subjects. A psychologist observes actions and notes psychological and social phenomena.
• Survey. Test takers must answer specific questions orally or in writing. It is important to establish personal contact during testing.

After the survey, specialists begin to analyze the activities. Based on the test results, a mediocre study of psychological and social phenomena is carried out.

Study methodology

Back in 1966, Julian Rotter developed a technique that allows you to assess a person's locus of control. Many psychologists have tried to modify the test. Today, the classic version and modification of O.P. Eliseev “Cognitive Orientation” is most often used.

Locus of Control Scale

Helps to find out whether a person is internal or external. It also shows how ready he is to see himself, to evaluate his role, successes and failures in a particular area.

The test questionnaire for J. Rotter's locus of control scale contains 44 questions. You must either agree with the statement or refute it.

1. Building a career depends on luck, and not on the efforts of the person himself.
2. Divorces are a consequence of the fact that partners either do not want or do not know how to compromise.
3. Everyone gets sick. It cannot be prevented or predicted.
4. Cold, insensitive people are always alone.
5. I can realize all my desires if I have luck.
6. It is impossible to win sympathy. Whether the person likes you or not.
7. Marriage depends on the money and influence of the parents as well as on the spouses themselves.
8. I often think that I cannot change anything in my own life.
9. The company will develop if all decisions are made by the manager, without relying on the opinions of subordinates.
10. When I was at school, my performance did not depend on me, but on external factors, including the mood of the teacher.
11. I am confident that I can achieve my plans.
12. That I can achieve what I want, carry out all my plans.
13. It is better to lead a healthy lifestyle than to go to doctors and take pills.
14. If the partners do not agree on their personalities, they need to separate. You can't change anything here.
15. My efforts and investments in the business are always appreciated.
16. The future of children depends on how their parents raised them.
17. There are no happy or unlucky cases, nor does fate.
18. In this life, little depends on me, so I don’t make plans.
19. While studying at school, my grades depended on my preparation for the lesson.
20. When there are quarrels in the family, I consider myself to be to blame, not my partner.
21. Most of the people around me are floating with the flow, surrendering to fate.
22. I like it when employees can make decisions as well as the manager.
23. My illnesses are not a consequence of my lifestyle.
24. Mistakes and failures are the result of an unfortunate combination of circumstances.
25. A bad manager is the fault of the employees.
26. I think that I am unable to change family relationships.
27. I just have to want it and I can win the sympathy of absolutely anyone.
28. The future life of a child depends not so much on upbringing as on the influence of any external factors.
29. Responsibility for everything that happens to me lies solely with me.
30. Often I don’t understand why the manager acted this way and not otherwise.
31. People who cannot build a career have themselves to blame.
32. I know how to get what I need from those around me, including family members.
33. Those around me are to blame for my failures.
34. Careful child care is protection against many diseases.
35. If it's difficult for me, I wait for the problems to be solved on their own.
36. Success is not luck or coincidence. This is long, hard work on yourself.
37. How happy my family will be depends only on me.
38. I sincerely don’t understand why some people like me and others don’t.
39. I never ask anyone for help. I always rely on my own strength.
40. Often a person's contribution to a particular cause remains underestimated.
41. Often, family problems cannot be solved, even if you really want to.
42. Responsibility for untapped potential and undeveloped abilities lies with the person himself.
43. Most of my victories are thanks to those around me.
44. Almost all my failures are my fault, my laziness or lack of knowledge.

The interpretation of the results depends on how many of your answers match the answers in the key. A total of 6 areas of life are considered:

1. General internality. Count 1 point if you answered “Yes” to the following questions: 2, 4, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 25, 27, 29, 32, 34, 36, 37 , 39, 42, 44. “No” - 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 31, 33, 38, 40, 41 , 43.
2. Achievements. “Yes” - 12, 15, 27, 32, 36, 37. “No” - 1, 5, 6, 14, 26, 43.
3. The area of ​​failure. “Yes” - 2, 4, 20, 31, 42, 44. “No” - 7, 24, 33, 38, 40, 41.
4. Family life. “Yes” - 2, 16, 20, 32, 37. “No” - 7, 14, 26, 28, 41.
5. Job. “Yes” - 19, 22, 25, 42. “No” - 1, 9, 10, 30.
6. Sphere of health. “Yes” - 13, 34. “No” - 3, 23.

First of all, it is necessary to evaluate the results of general internality. If you have 33-34 points, then the internal personality type predominates in you. If from 0 to 11, the external locus of control predominates. If you get 12-32 points, you can talk about a mixed type.

As for other areas, high scores indicate that a person is ready to take responsibility for his life and act actively. Low scores, on the contrary, symbolize people who are accustomed to taking a passive position. They always shift responsibility onto the people around them. Moreover, they are “blamed” for both victories and defeats.

"Cognitive orientation"

Like the previous testing, it helps to determine what kind of locus of control you have: external or internal. There are 29 points here. In each of them you need to choose one of the two statements given. They are designated by the letters “a” and “b”.

Now you need to compare your answers with those given in the table. For each match, count one point. Key to interpreting results:

1. You have an external locus of control if you answered: 2a, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6a, 7a, 9a, 10b, 11b, 12b, 13b, 15b, 16a, 17a, 18a, 20a, 21a, 22b, 23a, 25a , 26b, 28b, 29a.
2. You are an internal if your answers look like this: 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6b, 7b, 9b, 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a, 15a, 16b, 17b, 18b, 20b, 21b, 22a, 23b, 25b, 26a , 28a, 29b.

The maximum score is 23. 6 questions are considered background questions.

Characteristics of internality, examples

A. M. Etkind, S. A Golynkina and E. F. Bazhin developed the USC technique, which has become widespread. It differs from the “Extremeness and Internality Scale” developed by J. Rotter in 1965

Internals are characterized by a locus of control. It can be considered a universal symptom, manifested to varying degrees depending on the situation and events. Local type of control helps to understand how an individual will react to failures in various areas of achievement.

Scales of research in the field:

• health and illness;
• interpersonal relationships;
• industrial relations;
• failures;
• family relationships;
• achievements.

The degree of personal development can be determined by the scale indicators.

In the field of achievements

Internality in psychology is an integral characteristic of personality. Studies were conducted in which 100 people took part. In the area of ​​achievements, internality is noted in 33%. High rates indicate people's ability to reach their goals. They can adequately assess their own capabilities and vary the degree of control over positive emotional events.

Low scores indicate irritability and lack of restraint. 67% of subjects are unable to independently complete a complex or uninteresting task. They must be motivated to do so by those around them. People who receive a low result are aware of their own helplessness. Experts sometimes associate this with childhood. The need to organize work and one’s own life may be weakened due to prolonged stay in boarding schools or rehabilitation centers.

In the area of ​​failures

13% of subjects exhibit internality in the sphere of failures. High scores indicate people's ability to control the situation and the degree of responsibility for their actions. Internals are not used to complaining about fate; they really assess their own strengths.

Low scores indicate the desire of the subjects to focus on external control. In this case, a person develops a protective reaction in a timely manner. Subjects who receive a low quantitative score are usually morally unstable. Their emotional and volitional qualities are partially developed. A person cannot be held responsible for his actions and tries to shift the blame for failures onto others.

In family relationships

Tests that have been conducted for internality in the field of family relationships allow us to judge the presence or absence of a person’s sense of responsibility for the atmosphere in the family.

High rates indicate that for 7% of subjects the family is the primary model, thanks to which the following were formed:

• style of relating to each other;
• behavioral reactions;
• feminine and masculine qualities (including ideas about standards and ideals).

Adolescents carry certain patterns of interaction with parents and siblings into adulthood. If the microclimate in the family is favorable, then young people correctly understand how to behave with their spouses and children. Their family and everyday relationships are built correctly, all responsibilities and rights are respected.

Low rates were found among boarding school residents or children who spent a long time in rehabilitation centers. They do not understand how to behave with their spouse. Understanding the functions of women and men in society is inaccessible to them. The process of forming sexual self-identification is also disrupted.

In the field of industrial relations

Internality in psychology includes several concepts. These are sovereignty, subjectivity and responsibility. Testing allows us to identify the degree of control that a person exercises over himself in production conditions. High scores indicate the ability to evaluate relationships with colleagues and management.

Internals are responsible for their actions. They are guaranteed success in their educational activities and work. Most often, these people are professionally self-determined from a young age: they clearly know which educational institution they will go to and what kind of education they want to receive. Typically, tests for internality in industrial relations are carried out among adolescents. Large companies may require the applicant to undergo psychological testing at the application stage.

In the field of interpersonal relations

Testing for interpersonal relationships is carried out to determine internality. It helps to identify the degree of responsibility of the subject, his capabilities and desires to build relationships with others. High results were obtained by 33 people out of 100 subjects.

A low control score indicates a lack of ability for people to master their actions, moods and behavior. Most often, this indicator is detected in a person who, in childhood and adolescence, experienced a lack of adequate communication. An aggressive-negative position towards others becomes stable. People are not able to build adequate and constructive relationships with colleagues and family members.

Regarding health and illness

Internality in psychology is the locus of control. Testing is carried out to identify the degree of responsibility of the test subject for their own well-being and health. People who take full responsibility for their lives scored high. They consider their own actions to be the main cause of the development of the disease, and not the influence of factors and others. Interns are confident that the speed of recovery directly depends on their actions.

People who received low control indicators rely more on chance, fate, doctors and do not take any action to improve their own well-being. Internals are more promising: they try to cover a wide area of ​​the future and the present.

These people are characterized by the manifestation of cognitive activity. They find out the cause, nature and treatment plan for a particular disease. In difficult situations, internals behave productively and consistently. People often make decisions that involve risk.