Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This study represents a replication and extension of the work focusing on the relationship between spouses' locus of control expectancies and their level of marital complaints. In the present study, spouses' locus of control orientations were examined with reference to their own and their partners' marital complaints. It was predicted that internality would be positively correlated with one's own marital satisfaction and the satisfaction experienced by one's partner. In addition, it was expected that personality complementarity of a particular type, an external wife/internal husband configuration, would be associated with more complaints. The most consistent result of the study suggests the tendency for wives to have more complaints when paired with a relatively external husband. In addition, the analysis did not support the presence of a personality match or mismatch effect on marital complaints. Noting some of the inconsistencies in the limited data amassed on the role of locus of control in the domain of intimate interpersonal relationships, additional research is indicated before further conclusions are advanced.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Cronbach

L. J.

(1951) Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16, 297–334.

Doherty

W. J.

(1981) Locus of control differences and marital dissatisfaction. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 43, 369–377.

Doherty

W. J.

(1983) Locus of control and marital interaction. In Lefcourt

H. M.

(Ed.), Research with the locus of control construct. Vol. 2. Methods and applications. New York: Academic Press. Pp. 245–277.

Doherty

W. J.

Ryder

R. G.

(1979) Locus of control, interpersonal trust, and assertive behavior among newlyweds. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 2212–2220.

Kerlinger

F. N.

Pedhazur

E. J.

(1973) Multiple regression in behavioral research. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.

Lefcourt

H. M.

(1976) Locus of control. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Lefcourt

H. M.

Martin

R. A.

Fick

C. M.

Saleh

W. E.

(1985) Locus of control for affiliation and behavior in social interactions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 755–759.

Lewis

R. A.

Spanier

G. S.

(1979) Theorizing about the quality and stability of marriage. In Burr

W. R.

Hill

Nye

F. I.

Reiss

I. L.

(Eds.), Contemporary theories about the family. New York: Free Press. Pp. 268–294.

Locke

H. J.

Wallace

K. M.

(1959) Short marital adjustment and prediction tests: Their reliability and validity. Marriage and Family Living, 21, 251–255.

10.

Miller

P. C.

Lefcourt

H. M.

Ware

E. E.

(1983) The construction and development of the Miller Marital Locus of Control Scale. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 15, 266–279.

11.

Mischel

(1973) Toward a cognitive social learning reconceptualization of personality. Psychological Review, 80, 252–283.

12.

Rotter

J. B.

(1966) Generalized expectancies for internal versus external locus of control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80, No. 1 (Whole No. 609).

13.

Ryder

R. G.

(1973) Longitudinal data relating marriage satisfaction to having a child. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 35, 604–608.

14.

Sabatelli

R. M.

Dreyer

Buck

(1983) Cognitive style and relationship quality in married dyads. Journal of Personality, 51, 192–201.

Locus of Control,Locus of Control Differences,and Quality of Relationship in Married Dyads

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References