External–Internal Control

J. B. Rotter's seminal work on external–internal control has stimulated much theoretical and empirical work in personality psychology, in general and multicultural psychology, in particular. Rotter described externalinternal control as a general personality trait of attribution tendency. Persons with an external locus of control tend to attribute causes of events and future conditions to external forces such as other people, society, luck, or fate. On the other hand, persons with an internal locus of control tend to take responsibility for life conditions and believe in their ability to shape their future. Rotter developed the Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, a 29-item measure that uses a forced-choice format with two options (internal or external control) for each item.

Multicultural psychologists find the concept of external–internal control particularly relevant for studying the experience of racial and ethnic minorities and other oppressed groups (e.g., women). They theorize that discrimination, oppression, a lack of power, and cultural beliefs may contribute to minority persons' endorsement of external locus of control. Such control attributions may also influence a person's perceptions, motivation, behavior, and adjustment. For example, Rotter suggested that internal locus of control is associated with higher motivation for achievement, whereas external locus of control is associated with perceptions of limited opportunity.

Researchers have investigated racial and ethnic differences in external–internal control, as well as within-group differences in locus of control and its correlates. Racial and ethnic minorities (i.e., African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native Americans) often exhibit more external locus of control than European Americans. Because internal locus of control is deemed more desirable in mainstream American culture than external control, racial and ethnic minorities may be stereotyped as lacking self-confidence, personal responsibility, and achievement motivation. However, Derald Wing Sue and David Sue cautioned viewing external control as universally undesirable, because of cultural differences in worldview as well as minorities' experience with discrimination. In some cultures, an external locus of control is part of a worldview about the relationship of people to nature. Racial oppression and lack of power and opportunity may also contribute to an external locus of control.

Sue and Sue further defined external–internal control as having two dimensions: locus of responsibility and locus of control. In this framework, locus of responsibility refers to whether individuals attribute life conditions and consequences to external forces (external responsibility) or themselves (internal responsibility). Locus of control refers to whether individuals believe that their fate is determined by others (external control) or that they can control their future and take actions to affect outcomes (internal control). In other words, locus of responsibility is about beliefs in “who caused it?” whereas locus of control is about “who can change it?” This multidimensional model results in four worldviews: (1) internal responsibility, internal control; (2) internal responsibility, external control; (3) external responsibility, internal control; and (4) external responsibility, external control. Readers are referred to Sue and Sue's discussion of the characteristics of these four worldviews for multicultural groups and counseling implications.