Understanding External Locus of Control: Impact, Signs, and How to Change It

External locus of control is the belief that outside forces, such as luck, fate, or other people, are responsible for the outcomes in your life, rather than your own actions or decisions. This mindset often leads to feelings of powerlessness and a reliance on external circumstances to dictate success or failure.

It’s a viewpoint where events of your life are dictated more by luck, fate, or other people rather than your own actions or decisions. Could this mindset influence your ability to take charge of your life, make decisions, or even handle stress?

Eva Krockow, PhD, a researcher in decision-making, explains that an external locus of control is when individuals believe that their life is controlled by outside forces like fate or the environment. This can lead to feelings of powerlessness, as people may feel there’s little they can do to influence life outcomes. Krockow notes that those with a more internal locus of control tend to exhibit healthier behaviors and strategies for dealing with stress, leading to greater success and well-being.

Let’s explore further to understand the implications of this perspective on your life and mental well-being.

Key Takeaways

• An external locus of control is the belief that external factors like luck or fate shape life outcomes, leading to feelings of powerlessness.
• This mindset can hinder decision-making, problem-solving, and personal responsibility, as individuals may feel less accountable for their actions.
• In contrast, an internal locus of control promotes a sense of personal agency, where one’s actions are seen as having a meaningful impact on outcomes.
• While neither perspective is inherently good or bad, understanding your locus of control can help you navigate life with greater empowerment and self-awareness.

Understanding Locus of Control

If you often attribute events to external factors like luck or fate when grappling with life’s ups and downs, you might be operating from an external locus of control, a concept developed by Julian Rotter in 1954. This psychological framework, the internal-external locus of control, reveals how individuals perceive their influence over life events.

Essentially, an external locus of control is synonymous with a sense of powerlessness, a belief that you’re at the mercy of external forces. You might feel less accountable for your actions as you perceive outcomes to be beyond your control. This could stifle your problem-solving abilities and proactive decision-making, leaving you feeling helpless when faced with challenges or opportunities.

An internal locus of control represents a belief in personal agency, the conviction that your actions profoundly influence outcomes. Rotter’s psychology work highlights these contrasting perspectives, revealing how they shape our responses to life’s trials and triumphs.

Understanding whether you lean towards an internal or external locus of control can empower you to navigate life’s complexities and uncertainties better.

External vs. Internal Locus

If you have an external locus of control, it means that you feel that outside forces hold sway over your life. Adopting a more internal locus of control can empower you to exert greater influence. With an internal locus of control, you hold the belief that your actions have a meaningful impact on the events and outcomes in your life. Taking this perspective helps cultivate self-efficacy and promotes proactive decision-making.

In contrast, an external viewpoint of control can create feelings of helplessness, making you believe that factors like luck, fate, or the actions of others mainly shape your destiny. You may feel less responsible for your choices and their outcomes, which can impact your health and overall well-being.

However, it’s crucial to understand that neither viewpoint is inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’. They’re merely perspectives that influence how you interpret events and your role within them.

While an internal viewpoint promotes taking charge and responsibility, an external viewpoint can help you recognize the role of uncontrollable elements in life. The key lies in achieving a balanced understanding, appreciating your power to influence events while acknowledging the role of external factors.

Characteristics of External Locus

When an external locus of control guides you, you might feel like a leaf caught in the wind. Your life’s outcomes can seem dictated by luck, fate, or powerful others rather than your actions and choices.

You may feel powerless to change your circumstances, feeling you’re at the mercy of external events. This sense of helplessness is a key characteristic of an external locus of control.

Here are some key signs of an external locus of control:

1. Blaming external circumstances: Frequently attributing successes or failures to luck, fate, or other external factors beyond one’s control.
2. Perceived lack of control: Feeling powerless or helpless to change one’s situation or environment.
3. Dependence on others: Relying heavily on others for guidance, direction, or decision-making, believing that they have more influence over outcomes.
4. Low initiative: Demonstrating reluctance to take action or make decisions, often waiting for others to take the lead.
5. Avoiding responsibility: Avoiding accountability for one’s actions, often shifting blame to others when things go wrong.
6. Pessimistic outlook: Having a generally negative view of one’s ability to affect change in their life, leading to a sense of defeatism or resignation.
7. High stress levels: Experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety due to the belief that life events are uncontrollable and unpredictable.
8. Lack of persistence: Giving up easily when faced with challenges, believing that effort will not influence the outcome.
9. Reactive behavior: Responding to situations after they occur rather than proactively trying to influence outcomes.

You may struggle with taking responsibility for your actions, as it feels easier to attribute your circumstances to external forces. This belief system can be likened to watching a movie you have no control over, leaving you feeling a kind of spectator in your own life.

A key characteristic of an external locus of control is a high level of dependency on others. You may feel that your success or failure hinges on what others do rather than your own efforts. This can lead to lower self-esteem, as you constantly feel that you’re not in control of your life.

Having an external locus of control can also lead to higher stress levels, as you feel unable to influence your circumstances. This mindset can be challenging, leaving you feeling powerless and helpless.

Recognizing these signs can help individuals identify their locus of control and potentially work towards developing a more internal locus of control, where they feel more empowered and responsible for their own life outcomes.

Impact on Decision-Making

Decision-making is a challenging process if you have an external locus of control, as the belief that your choices have little to no effect on the outcomes can lead to feeling helpless and detached from personal responsibility. This mindset can profoundly impact your decision-making processes, often leaving you feeling powerless and reliant on external circumstances.

With an external locus, you might attribute your successes or failures to factors beyond your control, such as luck or fate. This can lead to a sense of helplessness and a lack of confidence in your own decision-making abilities. Essentially, irrespective of the decisions you make, the outcomes are dictated by external factors.

This can lead to indecisiveness and a lack of initiative when making choices. You might find yourself relying more on external guidance or even allowing others to make decisions for you, feeling less in control of your own destiny.

This relinquishing of personal responsibility can hinder your ability to make proactive choices or tackle problems head-on. Remember, your perception of control can profoundly influence your decision-making strategies and, ultimately, your life outcomes.

Real-World Examples of External Locus

Let’s explore some tangible instances of how an external locus of control shows up in everyday life. If you tend to attribute your circumstances to luck or fate instead of your personal influence, you’re likely operating with an external locus of control. You may feel that your actions have minimal impact on your life’s outcomes.

Here are some real-world examples:

• You believe your promotion at work is due to luck rather than your hard work and dedication.
• You fail an exam and blame it on the difficulty of the questions instead of reflecting on your study habits.
• You attribute your fitness level to genetics rather than your diet and exercise routine.
• You believe your financial status is determined by the economy and not your spending habits.
• You feel your happiness is dependent on the actions of others rather than your own mindset.

These examples illustrate how an external locus of control can lead to feelings of helplessness and lack of motivation. It’s important to recognize this mindset as it can hinder your ability to take ownership of your actions and to make proactive decisions.

Examples of External vs. Internal Locus of Control

Understanding the difference between an external and internal locus of control is key to recognizing how you perceive your role in shaping life events. Below are some real-world examples that highlight how these perspectives can show up in different types of everyday situations.

External Locus of Control:

People with an external locus of control tend to believe that their lives are largely influenced by factors beyond their control, such as luck, fate, or the actions of others. Here’s how this mindset might look:

• Work: After receiving a promotion, someone with an external locus of control might say, “I got lucky. My boss just happened to like me,” instead of acknowledging their hard work or qualifications.
• Education: If they fail an exam, they might blame the test difficulty or say, “The teacher made the questions too hard,” instead of considering their study habits or effort.
• Health: When struggling with their fitness, they might attribute their condition to genetics, saying, “It runs in my family, so there’s nothing I can do,” instead of acknowledging the role of diet or exercise.
• Relationships: After a breakup, they may feel like, “It was just bad timing,” without reflecting on their actions or contributions to the relationship’s dynamics.

Internal Locus of Control:

On the other hand, people who have an internal locus of control believe that their actions directly affect the outcomes in their life. They see themselves as the primary drivers of change. Examples of this can include:

• Work: Someone with an internal locus of control would attribute their promotion to their effort and skills, saying, “I worked hard for this, and I deserve it.”
• Education: If they fail a test, they might reflect on their preparation, saying, “I didn’t study enough, but I can improve next time.”
• Health: In terms of fitness, they might think, “If I change my eating habits and exercise more, I’ll improve my health,” taking personal responsibility for their well-being.
• Relationships: After a breakup, they might acknowledge their role by saying, “I need to work on my communication skills to build better relationships in the future.”

These examples show how internal locus of control can help promote a sense of empowerment and responsibility. On the other hand, an external locus can leave individuals feeling powerless. By recognizing which perspective dominates your thinking, you can work towards a more balanced approach that blends personal responsibility with an understanding of external influences.

Summary

So, you’ve learned about the external locus of control. Believing that outside factors control your destiny isn’t always easy, but understanding this perspective can empower you to challenge it.

Remember, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes but don’t let that stop you from making decisions or taking responsibility. You’re not powerless; your choices matter.

It might be a tough journey, but with patience and self-awareness, you can shift towards a more internal locus of control.

Sources:

Botha, F., & Dahmann, S. C. (2023). Locus of control, self-control, and health outcomes. SSM – Population Health, 25, 101566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101566

Davis, G. (2013). External locus of control. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_250

Nießen, D., Schmidt, I., Groskurth, K., Rammstedt, B., & Lechner, C. M. (2022). The Internal-External Locus of Control Short Scale-4 (IE-4): A comprehensive validation of the English-language adaptation. PloS one, 17(7), e0271289. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271289

Pourhoseinzadeh, M., Ms, Gheibizadeh, M., PhD, & Moradikalboland, M., PhD Candidate Bahman Cheraghian PhD (2017). The relationship between health locus of control and health behaviors in emergency medicine personnel. International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 5(4), 397–407.