locus of control

Question 1

LOC

Answer 1

• refers to people’s beliefs and generalised expectations about what controls events in their lives

Question 2

internal LOC

Answer 2

• believes that what happens to them is largely a consequences of their own behaviour
• active seekers of information

Question 3

external LOC

Answer 3

• believes that what happens to them is controlled by external factors
• less likely to take part in health protective behaviours
• see luck and fate as important factors

Question 4

attribution

Answer 4

• we can explain our own and other’s behaviour in terms of internal and external causes

Question 5

strength (eval)

Answer 5

• Gale et al (2008) study: supports the theory’s idea that internal individuals are able to respond to stess more effectively

Question 6

weakness (eval)

Answer 6

• other health models may better explain behavioural change
• e.g: viewing self efficacy was a motivator to change

Question 7

key study: rotter (1966)

Answer 7

• aimed to investigate the internal and the external locus of control

Question 8

rotter findings

Answer 8

• participants who were given control over situations were more likely to show behaviours that would enable would enable them to cope with potential threats

Question 9

strength (key study eval)

Answer 9

– useful when combined with cognitive behavioural therapy in order to change an individual’s locus of control

Question 10

weakness (key study eval)

Answer 10

• highly reductionist and fails to consider wider factors such as mood or the impact of others