Black and white college students (N = 194) completed the Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance locus of control scales. Findings indicated that students from low-income families had stronger perceptions that their lives were controlled by chance forces than wealthier students (p < .05). Analyses of covariance controlling for level of socioeconomic status showed that blacks scored significantly higher than whites in their perception of control by powerful others (p < .05) and chance forces (p < .001).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BattleE.RotterJ. B.Children's feelings of personal control as related to social class and ethnic group. Journal of Personality, 1963, 31, 482–490.
2.
BonjeanC. M.HillR. J.McLemoreS. D.Sociological measurement: An inventory of scales and indices. San Francisco, Calif.: Chandler, 1967.
3.
GruenG. F.OttingerD. R.Skill and chance orientations as determiners of problem-solving behavior in lower- and middle-class children. Psychological Reports, 1969, 24, 207–214.
4.
GurinP.GurinG.LaoR. C.BeattieM.Internal-external control in the motivational dynamics of Negro youth. Journal of Social Issues, 1969, 25(3), 29–53.
5.
LevensonH.Activism and powerful others: Distinctions within the concept of internal-external control. Journal of Personality Assessment, 1974, 38, 377–383.
6.
RotterJ. B.Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 1966, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609).
7.
ScottJ. D.PhelanJ.Expectancies of unemployable males regarding source of control of reinforcement. Psychological Reports, 1969, 25, 911–913.