Lumpkin (1985) proposed the use of a six-item scale (derived from Rotter's I-E scale), in those instances where the locus of control construct is not the primary focus of the research, but rather, merely an intervening variable. We have used the Lumpkin scale in a series of studies and found its reliability to be considerably less than expected. Consequently, in such instances, we recommend that researchers interested in measuring the locus of control construct use Levenson's 1974 scale or its subscales.
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