Locus of Control

What locus of control actually is

Locus of control is a person’s general belief about where the power over their life sits. With an internal locus of control, you tend to feel that your own choices and effort drive what happens. With an external locus of control, you tend to feel that outcomes come from luck, fate, or other people.

Most folks land somewhere in the middle and shift depending on the situation. It’s a tendency, not a hard label.

How it works

The idea comes from psychologist Julian Rotter, who noticed people differ in how much credit or blame they give themselves for results. Someone with an internal lean who fails a test might think, “I didn’t study enough.” Someone with an external lean might think, “The test was unfair.”

These beliefs build up over a lifetime of experiences. When effort reliably pays off, an internal sense grows. When effort seems to make no difference, an external sense takes hold. The beliefs then shape behavior, because people who feel in control are more likely to try.

What it isn’t

Locus of control isn’t the same as being optimistic or confident, though they can overlap. It’s specifically about who or what you believe causes outcomes. It also isn’t a measure of how much control you actually have. A person can feel in charge of a situation they can’t really influence, or feel powerless over one they could change.

And neither end is purely good or bad. A strong internal locus can tip into self-blame when things genuinely aren’t your fault.

Related terms you’ll see next

• Self-efficacy
• Learned helplessness
• Coping
• Resilience

Why it matters

Locus of control shows up in research on stress, depression, and motivation. People who feel they have some say over their lives often cope better and take more active steps to solve problems. Therapy frequently works to shift an overly external view, helping someone notice the choices and actions that are genuinely theirs to make.

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Locus of Control:</strong> Locus of control is how much you believe you can shape what happens to you. Some people feel in charge of outcomes; others feel life mostly happens to them.</p>
  <p>&mdash; <a href="https://shrinktionary.com/terms/locus-of-control/">Shrinktionary</a>, a plain-English mental health dictionary, medically reviewed by a board certified psychiatrist.</p>
</blockquote>