Locus of Control revisited: Development of a new bi-dimensional measure

Abstract

Título: Locus de control revisitado: desarrollo de una medida bidimensional Resumen: El estudio del locus de control (LOC) presenta una larga tradición en Psicología, y se han diseñado distintos instrumentos para su medición. Sin embargo, la dimensionalidad del constructo no está clara y sigue siendo motivo de controversia en la actualidad. El objetivo del presente trabajo es presentar nuevas evidencias de validez sobre la dimensionalidad del LOC. Para ello se ha desarrollado un nuevo instrumento de medida compuesto por 23 ítems. Se utilizó una muestra de 697 participantes de los cuales el 57.5% fueron mujeres (M=22.43; DT= 9.19). Los resultados apoyan la bidimensionalidad del LOC: interno y externo. El coeficiente de fiabilidad de cada subescala fue de .87 para LOC interno y .85 para LOC externo. Por otra parte, ambas subescalas han mostrado adecuadas evidencias de validez en función de las relaciones con la autoeficacia, motivación de logro y optimismo (rxy> .21). Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en función del sexo (p < .05), los hombres puntuaron más alto en LOC externo y las mujeres en LOC interno. Las evidencias de validez aquí presentadas apoyan una estructura de dos dimensiones para el constructo LOC. El instrumento desarrollado ha mostrado adecuadas propiedades psicométricas en términos de validez y fiabilidad. Palabras clave: Locus de control interno; locus de control externo; dimensionalidad; validez.Abstract: Locus of control (LOC) has a long tradition in Psychology, and various instruments have been designed for its measurement. However, the dimensionality of the construct is unclear, and still gives rise to considerable controversy. The aim of the present work is to present new evidence of validity in relation to the dimensionality of LOC. To this end, we developed a new measurement instrument with 23 items. The sample was made up of 697 Spanish participants, of whom 57.5% were women (M=22.43; SD= 9.19). The results support the bi-dimensionality of LOC: internal (α=.87) and external (α=.85). Furthermore, both subscales have shown adequate validity evidence in relation to self-efficacy, achievement motivation and optimism (rxy> .21). Statistically significant differences were found by sex (p < .05): men scored higher in external LOC and women in internal LOC. The validity evidence supports a two-dimensional structure for the LOC, and the measurement instrument developed showed adequate psychometric properties.

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“…Although the original scale of Rotter [53] presents a one-dimensional construct (where internal and external are two ends of a continuum), later studies reveal two (with internal and external being two separate constructs) or even multiple dimensions. Most studies that we came across find empirically that locus of control is a two-dimensional construct, rather than the more intuitive one-dimensional construct [31,50,51]. The underlying argument is that people for example can attribute their health both to internal beliefs (for example related to their own smoking behavior) as well as to external beliefs (for example to chance events).…”

“…Locus of control is an important psychological determinant that can influence our attitudes and behaviors [49] and for that reason it is often studied in situations where the goal is to change people's behavior. Locus of control is our perception of where control lies, and most researchers distinguish between an internal and an external orientation [31,50,51]. Someone with an internal orientation is more likely to consider outcomes as a consequence of their own behavior, as opposed to someone with an external orientation, who often sees outcomes as something beyond their own control.…”

“…Someone with an internal orientation is more likely to consider outcomes as a consequence of their own behavior, as opposed to someone with an external orientation, who often sees outcomes as something beyond their own control. In the literature there is no consensus about the dimensionality of the locus of control construct [50,52]. Although the original scale of Rotter [53] presents a one-dimensional construct (where internal and external are two ends of a continuum), later studies reveal two (with internal and external being two separate constructs) or even multiple dimensions.…”

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“…A possible future challenge could be to apply a new analysis with a greater age range under the Item Response Theory (IRT) framework to determine which of the two alternatives yields results that present better psychometric behaviour. This procedure has been used in several previous studies such as Martínez-León, Mathes, Avendaño, Peña, and Sierra (2018), García-Cueto et al (2015), and Suárez-Álvarez, Pedrosa, García-Cueto and Muñiz (2016).…”

Estilos atributivos en universitarios: comparaciones por género

“…En diversos estudios se ha encontrado que el género contribuye de manera significativa en la predicción de los estilos de atribución. Algunas investigaciones han reportado que las mujeres son más propensas a presentar un locus de control interno en comparación con los hombres (Camgoz et al, 2008; Durán-Aponte y Pujol, 2012; Rodríguez-Marín y Inglés, 2011;Suárez-Álvarez et al, 2016;Weiner, 2014). Por el contrario otros autores manifiestan que las mujeres perciben que las consecuencias de sus conductas dependen de factores ajenos a su control, como la suerte, el destino o la participación de otras personas, es decir, muestran un locus de control externo, mientras que los hombres presentan un locus de control interno (Brenlla y Vázquez, 2010;Bulut et al, 2010; Montes-Hidalgo y Tomás-Sábado, 2016; Zaidi y Mohsin, 2013).…”