Validation of a Five-Level Locus of Control Scale

Abstract

The objective of this article is to discuss our research into the validation of a career-related locus of control scale. The instrument, the Vocational Locus of Control Scale developed by Fournier, Jeanrie, and Drapeau (1996), attempts to confirm the empirical existence of our conception of a five-level locus of control in the career domain. In this study, the empirical qualities of the instrument are confirmed through the demonstration of the factor analysis structure, the evaluation of inter-type correlations and the relationship established with Rotter's scale. The results, stemming from a study in which over 1,000 individuals were interviewed, demonstrate the sufficient reliability of the instrument and provide significant evidence for its conceptual validity, supporting, at the same time, the suggested nuances in the expression of a feeling of control. Questions of a theoretical and empirical nature are raised with regard to the structure of the concept.Journal of Career Assessment Volume 7/Number 1/Winter 1999/Pages 63-89The objective of this article is to discuss our research into the validation of a career-related locus of control scale. This instrument, the Vocational Locus of Control Scale (VLOC) takes its inspiration from a locus of control typology developed by Fournier, Pelletier, and Pelletier (1993) which suggested the existence of five-level continuum to express external or internal control. The typology belongs to a new generation of literature examining this concept which, on the one hand, proposes a less dichotomous view of the locus of control and which, on the other, suggests the existence of perceptions of control which vary according to the situation. The instrument developed by Fournier, Jeanrie, and Drapeau (1996) attempts to confirm the empirical existence of this subtler view of the concept, as applied to the career domain. The empirical qualities of the instrument are confirmed in this study through the demonstration of the factor analysis structure, the evaluation of inter-type correlations and the relationship established with Rotter's scale.As early as 1954, Rotter had underlined that the probability of a behaviour satisfying a need is dependent on two variables, namely the expectation of a specific reinforcement from this behaviour and the value that the Correspondence concerning this article and requests for offprints should be addressed to Professor Genevi6ve Fournier, D6partement d'orientation, d'administration et d'evaluation en education,

Locus of control and home mortgage loan behaviour

“…There are some possible explanations as to why LOC relates to home mortgage loan behaviours. First, externals often think they have less power to influence the future and are less confident in themselves and their abilities (Fournier & Jeanrie, 1999). Considering that individuals need long‐term stable earnings to repay the home mortgage loan, externals have less confidence in their ability to control their future income and financial status than internals, and then are less likely to prefer the use of a loan.…”

“…A major difference between credit‐card spending and using home mortgage loans is that the former is more affected by impulse, while the latter is more planned. So the first possible explanation is that internals could better control their own impulses or urges (Fournier & Jeanrie, 1999), whereas externals are less effective in impulse control (O'Guinn & Faber, 1989), resulting in more credit‐card spending. However, the impulse control argument is unable to explain why internals take more risk with regard to home mortgage loans and why externals are more conservative, because the uses of credit‐card loans and home mortgage loans are governed by two different psychological processes, as we suggested.…”

“…Locus of control (LOC) refers to an individual's perception of his/her ability to control their immediate environment (Rotter, 1966). The internals (people with internal control) feel more confident in themselves and their abilities, and believe they have more power to influence the course of events (Fournier & Jeanrie, 1999), whereas externals feel that the events in their lives lie outside of their ability to control them and attribute what happens to them to the environment (Kelley & Stack, 2000).…”

“…Research has revealed that externals are less self‐confident (e.g., Fournier & Jeanrie, 1999; Gurol & Atsan, 2006), less optimistic (Popper, Amit, Gal, Mishkal‐Sinai, & Lisak, 2004), and lower risk‐taking (Miller & Mulligan, 2002), have lower self‐esteem (Judge & Bono, 2001), more impulsive consumption (O'Guinn & Faber, 1989), less tolerance for ambiguity, and are worse at coping with a change (Judge, Thoresen, Pucik, & Welbourne, 1999). All these characteristics may relate LOC to home mortgage loan behaviour differently from the way it relates to credit‐card debt.…”

A Shortened Version of the Headache‐Specific Locus of Control Scale in Spanish Population

“…6 Thus, instruments for measuring LOC within specific contexts were developed, such as the Spheres of Control Scale (SOC), 7 the Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS), 8 the Dieting Beliefs Scale (DBS), 9 and the Vocational Locus of Control Scale (VLCS). 10 The first authors to use the concept of LOC within the healthcare field were Wallston, Wallston, Kaplan, Maides et al, 11 who developed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) based on the Levenson's work. 5 MHLC currently has three forms, A, B and C. 12 Forms A and B are parallel and contain 18 items each; these items are used to evaluate the three previously mentioned LOCs.…”