Locus of Control and Mode of Reinforcement

Abstract

24 male internals and 24 male externals performed a pursuit-rotor task under conditions of task reinforcement or combined reinforcement (task and verbal reinforcements). Verbal reinforcement was praise from the experimenter; task reinforcement was a buzzer heard when the stylus contacted the target. Analysis yielded a significant interaction effect of I-E × Trials × Mode of Reinforcement. Externals performed better with combined reinforcement whereas, internals performed equally well under both conditions. Mode of reinforcement may enter differential performance by internals and externals.