Locus of Control and Agency (8A) - Psych & Soc

1. What is personal agency in psychology?

   Capacity to intentionally influence one's thoughts, behavior, and environment. Core concept in social cognitive theory of self-determination.

2. What is an internal locus of control?

   Belief that outcomes are primarily determined by ones own actions. Internals believe they control their destiny through choices.

3. What is an attribution in attribution theory?

   An explanation a person assigns to the cause of a behavior or outcome. How people explain causes of events and behaviors.

4. Which concept best fits: "I can learn this skill if I practice," even after past failures?

   High self-efficacy. Shows confidence in ability to perform despite past setbacks.

5. Which locus of control is most consistent with attributing outcomes to chance or fate?

   External locus of control. External locus attributes outcomes to forces beyond personal control.

6. What is the definition of perceived behavioral control in the Theory of Planned Behavior?

   Perceived ease or difficulty of performing a behavior. In Ajzen's model, this component influences intentions by reflecting anticipated obstacles and personal capabilities.

7. Which locus of control is more consistent with persistent effort after setbacks?

   Internal locus of control. Individuals with this orientation view setbacks as surmountable through effort, fostering resilience and continued striving.

8. Which locus of control is most consistent with attributing outcomes to fate or luck?

   External locus of control. This orientation perceives outcomes as determined by uncontrollable external forces, reducing personal accountability.

9. What is the key distinction between agency and learned helplessness?

   Agency is perceived capacity to act; helplessness is perceived lack of control. While agency involves proactive self-influence, learned helplessness results from experiences eroding perceived controllability.

10. Which construct is being tested: confidence in ability to perform a specific task successfully?

    Self-efficacy. Task-specific confidence is the hallmark of this construct.

11. Identify the concept: She is late because she is irresponsible, ignoring heavy traffic.

    Fundamental attribution error. Blames personality while ignoring situational factors.

12. What is self-efficacy (Bandura)?

    Belief in one's ability to perform behaviors needed to reach goals. Bandura's theory posits this as a key determinant of motivation, influencing how people think, behave, and feel about challenges.

13. What is the actor–observer bias?

    Explaining own actions situationally but others' actions dispositionally. Different perspectives lead to different causal explanations.

14. In attribution theory, what is the internal–external dimension?

    Whether a cause is due to the person (internal) or the situation (external). Distinguishes personal causes from situational causes.

15. What attribution pattern is most associated with learned helplessness in depression?

    Internal, stable, global attributions for negative events. In Weiner's attribution theory, this pessimistic style for failures predicts vulnerability to depression and helplessness.

16. What is an internal locus of control?

    Belief that outcomes mainly result from one's own actions and choices. Emphasizes personal responsibility and control over life events.

17. What is attribution theory (general definition)?

    Framework for explaining behavior by assigning causes to events and actions. Helps understand how people make sense of behavior.

18. Which locus of control is most consistent with the statement: "The test was unfair, so I failed"?

    External locus of control. Blames external factors rather than personal responsibility.

19. What is the locus of control implication of the just-world hypothesis?

    Emphasizes personal responsibility, often downplaying situational forces. By assuming fairness, it promotes an internal locus view where individuals are seen as controlling their destinies through actions.

20. What is the just-world hypothesis?

    Belief that people get what they deserve and deserve what they get. Lerner's theory suggests this belief maintains a sense of order and control in an unpredictable world.

21. What is agency in psychology?

    Capacity to initiate actions and exert control over one's behavior and goals. Involves intentional action and self-determination.

22. Identify the construct: belief that outcomes are contingent on one's behavior (vs independent of it).

    Locus of control. Describes belief about control over life outcomes.

23. Which concept is more specific to confidence in a particular task: locus of control or self-efficacy?

    Self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is task-specific; locus of control is general.

24. What is self-efficacy in Bandura's theory?

    Belief in one's ability to execute behaviors needed to achieve a goal. Key component of personal agency and motivation.

25. Identify the mismatch: "I control outcomes" (locus) versus "I can do the task" (which construct)?

    Self-efficacy. Self-efficacy focuses on capability, not outcome control.

26. Which locus of control attributes outcomes to effort and personal decisions?

    Internal locus of control. Internals link success/failure to personal actions.

27. Identify the construct: "I can execute the steps needed to quit smoking."

    Self-efficacy. This statement reflects Bandura's concept of confidence in one's capability to perform actions required for a desired outcome.

28. What is self-efficacy (Bandura)?

    Belief in one's ability to perform behaviors needed to achieve a goal. Task-specific confidence predicts persistence and success.

29. Identify the attribution: "I failed because I did not study enough." (locus and controllability)

    Internal and controllable. Study effort is both personal and within one's control.

30. Which bias is shown: "I was late due to traffic, but she is late because she is careless"?

    Actor–observer bias. Shows asymmetry in how we judge self versus others.

31. What is agency in psychology?

    Capacity to act intentionally and influence ones life circumstances. Reflects one's power to make choices and create change.

32. Which locus of control is most associated with learned helplessness?

    External locus of control. Feeling powerless leads to giving up trying.

33. In attribution theory, what is the locus dimension of causality?

    Whether a cause is internal (dispositional) or external (situational). Distinguishes between personal and environmental causes.

34. Which concept is broader about what causes outcomes in general: locus of control or self-efficacy?

    Locus of control. Locus of control is a general belief about causation.

35. Which statement best reflects high agency: "My choices matter," or "Nothing I do changes outcomes"?

    "My choices matter.". Expresses belief in personal power to influence outcomes.

36. Identify the locus of control: "I did well because I studied effectively and managed my time."

    Internal locus of control. Credits personal actions (studying, time management) for success.

37. Which concept best fits: I can influence my health by exercising regularly.

    Agency. Shows belief in personal power to affect health.

38. What is learned helplessness?

    Reduced motivation after repeated uncontrollable negative events. Results from experiencing uncontrollable aversive events.

39. Which locus of control is most consistent with the statement: "My effort determines my grades"?

    Internal locus of control. Effort is a personal action under one's control.

40. In attribution theory, what does the stability dimension describe?

    Whether a cause is stable over time or unstable and changeable. Affects expectations about future similar situations.

41. What is learned helplessness?

    Passive behavior after repeated uncontrollable negative events. Results from experiencing uncontrollable aversive events.

42. Identify the locus of control: I failed because the test was unfair.

    External locus of control. Blames test (external factor) rather than self.

43. Which locus of control is most consistent with high personal responsibility for outcomes?

    Internal locus of control. Internal locus means believing you control your own outcomes.

44. Which locus of control attributes success to effort and strategy: internal or external?

    Internal locus of control. Internal locus sees outcomes as results of personal actions.

45. Identify the locus of control: I got the job because I was lucky.

    External locus of control. Attributes success to chance, not personal merit.

46. Which locus of control attributes outcomes to chance, fate, or powerful others?

    External locus of control. Externals blame circumstances beyond their control.

47. Which locus of control is most associated with learned helplessness after uncontrollable stress?

    External locus of control. Feeling no control over outcomes leads to helplessness.

48. Identify the locus of control: "I did well because I studied effectively."

    Internal locus of control. Credits personal effort (studying) for the positive outcome.

49. Which concept best fits: No matter what I do, my effort does not change outcomes.

    Learned helplessness. Classic sign of feeling no control over outcomes.

50. In attribution theory, what does the controllability dimension describe?

    Whether a cause is under personal control versus uncontrollable. Influences emotional responses like guilt or anger.

51. What is the key difference between locus of control and self-esteem?

    Locus: perceived control; self-esteem: overall self-worth evaluation. Control beliefs differ from global self-evaluation.

52. What is an external locus of control?

    Belief that outcomes mainly result from luck, fate, or powerful others. Attributes outcomes to forces beyond personal control.

53. Which construct is most directly increased by mastery experiences (Bandura)?

    Self-efficacy. Bandura identified direct successful experiences as the most powerful source for building this belief in personal competence.

54. Which locus of control is most associated with learned helplessness after failures?

    External locus of control. Helplessness develops when outcomes seem beyond personal control.

55. Identify the attribution: "I failed because the room was too noisy." (locus and controllability)

    External and typically uncontrollable. Environmental factors are outside personal control.

56. What is agency in psychology?

    Capacity to act intentionally and influence one's life circumstances. Agency represents the human capability for intentional action and self-determination in shaping one's environment and future.

57. What is the difference between internal and external attributions?

    Internal: traits/effort; external: situation/luck/others. Internal focuses on personal factors; external on environmental factors.

58. Identify the locus of control: I got the job because I prepared well.

    Internal locus of control. Credits personal effort for positive outcome.

59. What is locus of control in personality and social psychology?

    Belief about whether outcomes are controlled internally or externally. Distinguishes whether control lies within oneself or outside forces.

60. Which statement reflects higher agency: "I can change my plan" or "Nothing I do matters"?

    "I can change my plan". Agency involves belief in ability to act and create change.

61. Identify the bias: "I aced it because I am smart; I failed because the test was unfair."

    Self-serving bias. This example illustrates protecting self-image by internalizing success and externalizing failure attributions.

62. What is the fundamental attribution error?

    Overattributing others' behavior to disposition over situation. This cognitive bias leads observers to underestimate situational influences on others' actions, emphasizing personality traits.

63. Identify the construct: "Whether I quit smoking depends mostly on my effort."

    Internal locus of control. The emphasis on personal effort as the primary determinant of success aligns with Rotter's internal control orientation.

64. How does self-efficacy differ from locus of control?

    Self-efficacy is ability belief; locus of control is outcome control belief. While self-efficacy focuses on confidence in executing specific tasks, locus of control concerns general expectations about outcome controllability.

65. Which concept best explains giving up after repeated failures perceived as uncontrollable?

    Learned helplessness. Develops when efforts repeatedly fail to change outcomes.

66. Which locus of control is implied by the statement: "My grade depends on how I study"?

    Internal locus of control. The statement reflects a belief that personal actions directly influence results, characteristic of internal control perceptions.

67. What is an external locus of control?

    Belief that outcomes are primarily determined by outside forces (luck, fate). Externals see life events as beyond personal control.

68. Which locus of control is implied by the statement: "I failed because the test was unfair"?

    External locus of control. Blaming failure on external factors like test fairness indicates a perception of outcomes controlled by outside forces.

69. What is the key difference between locus of control and self-efficacy?

    Locus: cause of outcomes; efficacy: ability to perform a specific task. Locus is general control; efficacy is task-specific.

70. Which attribution is internal, stable, and global: "I failed because I am stupid"?

    Internal, stable, global. Attributing failure to inherent stupidity implies a personal, enduring, and pervasive cause in attributional dimensions.

71. Which attribution is external, unstable, and specific: "I failed because the room was noisy"?

    External, unstable, specific. Blaming noise attributes failure to an outside, temporary, and situation-specific factor in attribution theory.

72. What is personal agency?

    Perceived capacity to initiate actions and influence one's life outcomes. Reflects belief in one's power to act and create change.

73. What is self-efficacy in Bandura's theory?

    Belief in one's ability to perform behaviors needed to reach goals. Confidence in executing specific actions, not controlling outcomes.

74. Which attribution best reflects external locus of control for failure: effort, strategy, luck, or persistence?

    Luck. Luck is an external, uncontrollable factor.

75. Which attribution best matches external locus of control for failure: low effort or unfair test?

    Unfair test (external attribution). External attributions align with external locus of control.

76. Which bias is shown: taking credit for an A but blaming a bad grade on the instructor?

    Self-serving bias. Classic pattern of internal/external attribution for success/failure.

77. Identify the concept: After uncontrollable shocks, an animal stops trying to escape.

    Learned helplessness. Classic example of giving up when outcomes seem uncontrollable.

78. What is the self-serving bias in attribution?

    Attributing successes internally and failures externally. This bias protects self-esteem by claiming credit for positives while deflecting blame for negatives to external causes.

79. Which locus of control attributes outcomes to chance or fate: internal or external?

    External locus of control. External locus attributes events to uncontrollable forces.

80. Identify the locus of control: "I failed because the test was unfair and random."

    External locus of control. Blames external factors (unfair test) rather than personal effort.

81. Which attribution best reflects internal locus of control for success: ability, luck, task difficulty, or chance?

    Ability. Ability is an internal, stable personal characteristic.

82. What is learned helplessness (Seligman)?

    Reduced action after repeated uncontrollable negative events. Seligman's model explains how exposure to uncontrollable events leads to passive behavior and motivational deficits.

83. What is self-efficacy (Bandura)?

    Belief in ones ability to perform behaviors needed to reach a goal. Task-specific confidence, not general control beliefs.

84. Identify the bias: I aced the exam due to my ability; I failed the next due to bad luck.

    Self-serving bias. Internal attribution for success, external for failure.

85. Which attribution best matches internal locus of control for failure: ability/effort or bad luck?

    Ability or effort (internal attribution). Internal attributions align with internal locus of control.

86. Which pattern best describes learned helplessness after repeated failure?

    Lower motivation and persistence due to perceived lack of control. This response pattern emerges from believing that efforts do not influence outcomes, reducing initiative in future situations.

87. What is locus of control in psychology?

    Belief about whether outcomes are controlled internally or externally. Introduced by Rotter, this concept assesses if individuals perceive reinforcements as contingent on personal behavior or external factors.

88. Identify the locus of control: "I failed because the test was unfair and the teacher dislikes me."

    External locus of control. Blames external factors (test, teacher) for failure.

89. Identify the locus of control: I failed because I did not study effectively.

    Internal locus of control. Takes personal responsibility for the failure.

Study these flashcards