In 1966, psychologist Julian Rotter developed the locus of control theory. This term appeals to a person’s belief about whether or not he has the ability to interfere in the events of his own life. That is, the conception that a person has about whether or not they can control the results of their actions, or whether these are given by external factors.
Rotter pointed out that there are two types of locus of control: internal and external. These interfere in a very significant way in a person’s attitude towards their life, conditioning their mentality and their actions. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between one and the other and how they influence us.
In the internal locus of control, the person believes that they are in control of their life. He considers that he is responsible for his actions and their results, instead of these being conditioned by external factors or third parties. Therefore, given the firm belief that they are responsible for their successes or failures, they tend to work harder to obtain satisfactory results.
Thus, people with an internal locus of control tend to be more motivated, have more determination and willpower, as they believe that their successes will come from their efforts. On the opposite side, they also blame themselves for their failures, considering that they are the result of not trying hard enough.
People who are governed by an external locus of control believe that they do not have control of their own life, they cannot influence or intervene in the course of their events or what happens to them. Instead, they think that all this is given by external factors or third parties. Some examples of external locus of control are people who firmly believe in luck and superstitions, in destiny, in the force of the universe, in karma, in the horoscope or in some religion.
In the psychology blog Psiquion they explain that people with external locus of control tend to attribute their successes and failures to others, they think that they can’t do anything to change their situation and they have feelings of hopelessness. In addition, they often suffer from a condition called “learned helplessness,” whereby they feel helpless and act passively when faced with their problems. For their part, those with an external locus of control are more prone to feelings of self-efficacy, being independent, making decisions and being successful.
Thus, they highlight that the internal locus of control is better for a healthier life. Now, each one is good in a certain situation. “The key is to have an internal locus of control, being aware that, sometimes, there are situations that we cannot control no matter how much we want to,” they conclude.
