NCJ Number
11691
Date Published
1973
Length
24 pages
Annotation
'LOCUS OF CONTROL' OR ABILITY TO CONTROL REFERS TO HOW A PERSON FEELS ABOUT THE CONTROL OF SITUATIONS IN HIS OWN LIFE.
Abstract
IF A PERSON FEELS HIS LIFE IS CONTROLLED MAINLY BY HIS OWN DECISIONS AND ACTIONS, HIS LOCUS OF CONTROL IS PRIMARILY INTERNAL. IF A PERSON FEELS THAT HE IS CONTROLLED BY FORCES OUTSIDE HIMSELF, E.G. FATE, LUCK, SOCIETY OR OTHER PEOPLE, HIS LOCUS OF CONTROL IS PRIMARILY EXTERNAL. PEOPLE WITH INTERNAL CONTROL BELIEFS ARE THOUGHT TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR LIVES BECAUSE INTERNAL PEOPLE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO EFFECT EVENTS. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY DO THINGS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS AND MAKE THEIR LIVES WHAT THEY WISH THEM TO BE. PEOPLE WITH EXTERNAL CONTROL BELIEFS MAY TEND TO 'DRIFT', SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WHAT THEY DO MAKES MUCH DIFFERENCE. IN THIS STUDY JAIL INMATES' BELIEFS ABOUT FOUR CONTROL DIMENSIONS ARE REVIEWED. CONTROL BELIEFS ARE COMPARED TO CRIMINAL ACTS AND TO A PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITION. INMATES HAVING GRANDIOSE BELIEFS ABOUT CONTROL WERE FOUND TO HAVE COMMITTED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CRIMES. FATALISTIC INMATES COMMITTED FEWER CRIMES, BUT INMATES WHO FELT CONTROLLED BY HOSTILE FORCES COMMITTED MORE AND MORE VIOLENT CRIMES. INMATES HAVING BOTH A GRANDIOSE BELIEF IN THEIR OWN POWER AND FEELINGS OF BEING VICTIMIZED COMMITTED MORE CRIMES THAN ANY OTHER GROUP. A SEEMINGLY REALISTIC CONFIDENCE IN CONTROL IS NOT ADVANTAGEOUS IN INMATES. INMATES HAVING INTERNAL CONTROL BELIEFS COMMITTED MORE CRIMES. ALCOHOLICS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE INTERNAL THAN OTHER INMATES. INMATES HAVING LOW BLOOD HISTAMINE LEVELS WERE FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE INTERNAL THAN INMATES HAVING HIGH HISTAMINE LEVELS. IMPLICATIONS TO THERAPY AND FURTHER RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) MORRIS COUNTY