Introduction
Locus of control is an essential concept which focuses on the individuals’ belief in regards to their control over experiences or situations. They primarily affect people’s lives, and thus, a person might be convinced that he or she is in full control of any life-altering influences. There is a wide range of features of the concept, which can help to improve the overall understanding of the fact that learned helplessness is the atrophy of the notion.
Main body
One should be aware that there are two major types of locus of control. These are an external locus of control and internal locus of control, where the former defines an individual who believes that life’s hardships and rewards are determined by external factors. In the case of the people with an internal locus of control, they are convinced that it is their own behavior that leads to rewards in life (Jain and Singh 18). For example, Steve lost his job, and as a person with an internal locus of control, he would blame himself for the outcome. However, if he were an individual with an external locus of control, he would blame the economy, pandemic, or his boss. The concept is vital in the field of personality psychology (Shibutani 284). Learned helplessness relates to locus of control, where the former can shift the latter from internal to external one.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the locus of control can be either external or internal type, which determines a person’s convictions regarding his or her ability to control the situations and experiences. Internal locus of control describes an individual who considers that inner behavior as the main driver of life. The other group believes that people are helpless due to outside influences being the deciding factors that greatly alter the events in one’s life.
Works Cited
Jain, Madhu, and Suyesha Singh. “Locus of Control and Its Relationship with Mental Health and Adjustment Among Adolescent Females.” Journal of Mental Health and Human Behavior, vol. 20, no. 1, 2015, pp. 16-21.
Shibutani, Tamotsu. Society and Personality: Interactionist Approach to Social Psychology. 1st ed., Routledge, 2017.