Locus of control is a property of a person that determines his tendency to attribute responsibility for his activities to external forces (the so-called external locus or external) or to personal efforts and abilities (internal, internal).

Self-control

A relatively perfect mechanism of regulation and evaluation is control. In order for the subject to be able to realize and analyze his own actions and states, he uses a mechanism such as self-control. Its emergence and improvement is determined by the requirements of the collective for human behavior. Formed self-regulation helps an individual control his behavior in various situations.

To do this, there must be a standard and the ability to obtain information about controlled states and actions. In stressful situations, it is an object of volitional regulation.

A person can consciously regulate his own states, motives and actions, comparing them with certain subjective ideas and norms as a result of self-control. It is necessary in order to meet the requirements of society, therefore it is a socially mediated phenomenon, inherent only in such a social being as a person.

Self-control allows you to make a conscious choice of the most acceptable and permissible forms of response to the circumstances that arise around it.

Locus of control

The subject of control is the individual himself, society as a whole, and the social environment. A person’s reaction depends on whether he feels like he is the master of fate or “floating at the will of the waves.” Responsibility for control can also be attributed either to external forces or to one's own efforts and abilities. In any case, a person cares about what has already happened and who is responsible for how the event will end - he or fate, chance, i.e. everything that cannot be controlled. “Locus of control” is what is called in psychology to determine the source of what controls his life - the external environment or himself. This is a stable property of an individual, which is formed in the process of personal socialization.

Your locus of control can be determined using a developed set of special techniques. This allows one to assess personal characteristics to some extent.

Those who consider themselves to be people with an internal locus of control are likely to have done well in school, do not smoke, use seat belts in the car, use contraceptives, solve family problems on their own, strive to earn a lot of money and easily give up pleasure in order to achieve strategic goals.

The degree of competence and well-being depends on how a person explains his failures. Chances are you know students who consider themselves victims. They always blame their academic failures on things beyond their control, such as their own intelligence, “bad” teachers, tests, and useless textbooks. This is the external locus of control.

They are very likely to assess failure as an accident and believe that a new approach to solving the problem is needed. whose locus of control is most likely internal, they believe that failures can be controlled, and that they need to sell as many insurance policies as possible.

Externals and internals also differ in the type of interpretation of social situations, in particular, in the method of obtaining information and in the mechanism of their causal explanation. The locus of control of internals provides greater awareness of the situation and problem, and higher responsibility than external people. “Pure” externals and internals practically do not exist. Every person has a degree of confidence in his own abilities, strengths and a degree of dependence on circumstances.

Locus of control

What is locus of control

This is the degree of independence of a person, his activity and independence. As one of the most significant characteristics of a person, locus of control reflects a person’s level of responsibility in achieving any of his specific goals, the level of perception of his responsibility for occurring events and their consequences. It is a person’s tendency to attribute responsibility for events in life and the results of his activities to external forces (external, external locus of control) or to his own abilities and efforts (internal, internal locus of control). People with an external locus of control, who tend to attribute the consequences of their actions to the influence of circumstances, are usually called externalists, since they attribute responsibility for their activities exclusively to external conditions. The opposite type is internals. People of this type consider only themselves responsible for the results of their activities. Even if the circumstances are unfavorable, the internal will not make excuses for mistakes or failures.

In the process of studying the phenomenon of control, many different experimental studies have been carried out. And this is what became clear.

It turned out that people with a predominant external locus of control most often react to unforeseen situations with fear and wariness. While individuals with a more developed internal locus perceive the same task more adequately, often even with humor. And when it comes to planning or remembering their lives, the former often turn to the past, while the latter tirelessly look to the future.

People with an external locus of control believe that little depends on their efforts in life. Therefore, they consider it unnecessary to plan their actions or constantly put decisions on the back burner. They are not very responsible, anxious, unsure of their abilities, aggressive, easily depressed, but at the same time they are not inclined to defend their principles. People with an external locus of control estimate their risks very roughly. For example, they may take risks based on rather illogical beliefs, such as: “We haven’t rolled the number 12 in a long time, let’s bet on it.”

In addition, people with an external locus of control are much more likely to conform. To participate in one of the experiments, psychologists gathered people with a high external and internal locus of control into a group. The purpose of the experiment was to test which of them was ready to agree with the incorrect opinion of the majority. All participants were given money with which they could bet on their own or someone else’s opinion. People with a high internal locus of control began to place large bets on their own opinion when it contradicted the opinion of the majority. Those who had an external locus of control preferred to keep a low profile, even if they were confident that they were right.

People with an internal locus of control are those who consider themselves responsible for their own lives and their decisions. And if they are responsible, then they are more motivated to achieve results. Therefore, those with an internal locus of control show greater responsibility, emotional stability, and a willingness to delay pleasure in order to achieve a goal. They believe that hard work will definitely lead to success.

People with an internal locus of control are able to defend their rights at all levels - both to “pump up rights” in everyday situations and to participate in political actions. For example, in another experiment in the 1960s, Rotter asked college students involved in the civil rights movement to complete questionnaires. And what? – people with an internal locus of control predominated among them.

In relation to their health, those with an internal locus of control also show a certain tendency. For example, Rotter's experiment involved smokers with internal and external locus of control. After warnings about the dangers of smoking began to be printed on cigarette packs (remember, this happened in the 1960s), people with a high internal locus of control began to try to quit smoking, and people with an external locus behaved relaxed: what happens is what happens. will. Moreover, all participants in the experiment believed in the validity of the warnings.

To summarize, people with an external locus of control in terms of their health rely on someone else’s help: on a “magic pill”, on doctors, on fate – but they are in no hurry to take any actions themselves to make their lot easier.

So, people with a developed internal locus of control are distinguished by the fact that:

They are attentive to others and to information coming from outside. Thanks to this, they structure their behavior more correctly.

They are little susceptible to attempts to pressure their opinions and behavior.

Able to strive to improve themselves and their living environment.

They are able to adequately assess their behavior, their abilities and shortcomings.

Thus, the internal locus accompanies mature individuals, but the external one, on the contrary, interferes with the process of personal maturation.

But here’s the question: is the desire to rely on oneself and the feeling of “knee-deep sea” always for the good? Alas, not always.

Firstly, any goals must be realistic. Trying to change the unchangeable is the shortest and most direct path to disappointment and depression.

Secondly, the perception of one’s capabilities often depends on the state of society. It is not for nothing that the concept of “locus of control” appeared in prosperous America. Much later, researchers noticed that in countries where the economy is not good, and the legal protection of citizens is even worse, the internal locus of control is not particularly popular among the population. Which, in general, is logical: if tomorrow is not very predictable and the situation is precarious, it is difficult to make even short-term plans. This approach, by the way, is typical for Russia: burn it all with fire, and tomorrow, lo and behold, it will completely collapse. Moreover, if we are surrounded by people constantly muttering: “What can we do? What depends on us? - then it is likely that over time, natural cheerfulness and self-confidence will begin to fail.

Locus of control is not a diagnosis; it is a value, although relatively stable, but capable of changing throughout life. What influences the formation of internal locus of control?

In addition to economics and legal protection, the family situation plays a role. If parents are consistent in terms of discipline, clearly express their love for the child and try to instill in him the habit of being responsible for himself, the child is likely to have an internal locus of control. And for children of authoritarian, strict and inconsistent parents (from whom you don’t know what to expect - rewards or punishment) - external.

Those who find themselves in responsible jobs with immediately noticeable results of their work can acquire an internal locus of control. And finally, the last (and most reliable way) to start taking responsibility for your life is to simply start taking responsibility for your life.

Who studied Locus of Control?

In the twentieth century, a number of studies have been conducted on the topic of locus of control. We present the results of some of the most interesting studies:

(Plath and Eisenman, 1968): Internals imagine their future as more eventful. The passage of time is faster. For externals, the time perspective is shortened and eventful.

(Thayer et al., 1969): Externals are more concerned with the organization of their time. They have poor time management and ineffective use of time. Goals change over time, their implementation is constantly postponed.

(Lombardo and Fantasia): The expectation of success in academic activities among external students of both sexes turned out to be very low. External students were less likely to expect love and affection from others compared to internal students. External LC causes feelings of depression and anxiety, reducing overall life satisfaction. Internal LC contributes to more normal functioning of the individual, instilling in her self-esteem.

Internals have a pronounced independence; they react painfully to attempts at manipulation; avoid clarifying relationships and conflicts; aimed at realizing their abilities, at work; realize their creative potential most fully (compared to external students).

Pronounced self-defense reactions and mechanisms of the “aggression and attack” type; blaming others for conflicts; lack of self-confidence, inadequate self-esteem; insufficiently developed self-regulation, emotional instability, irrational use of mental energy, insufficient realization of creative potential - characteristics inherent in externalities.

Interns are more actively seeking information about possible health problems. Take precautions to maintain or improve your health, such as stopping smoking, starting to exercise, and seeing your doctor regularly. As children, internals were encouraged more by their parents if they took care of their health. Interns know more about what can cause the disease. The likelihood of developing psychological illnesses among internals is lower than among externals.

Externalities are more likely to have psychological problems: anxiety and depression are more common for them. Externals have less self-esteem than internals.

Externals are less well adapted than internals. Externals are much more susceptible to social influence than internals.

Internals resist social influence, but also seek to control the behavior of others. Internals prefer people who can be manipulated and dislike those they cannot influence. Internals are more confident in their ability to solve problems and are therefore independent of the opinions of others.

(Fares and Wilson): Internals like internals better.

(Lombardo): The respondents believed that the internal personality is more liked by itself than the external one.

(Efran, 1963): Externalists are less likely to suppress their failures because they preemptively accept external factors as causes of success and failure.

The more a person believes that everything in his life depends on his own abilities and efforts, the more often he finds meaning in life and sees its goals.

Thai workers have an external LC, American workers have an internal one, and Mexican workers occupy a middle position.

Those college swimmers who explain their failures in "optimistic terms" are more likely to exceed their coaches' expectations than their pessimistic counterparts.

The concept of “locus of control” has become so common in everyday life that its meaning is significantly blurred and lost. Locus of control in ordinary consciousness is confused with such concepts as responsibility, and - although in fact these are somewhat overlapping but different phenomena. Let's try to remember and figure out what locus of control is and what are the scope of application of this concept in psychology.

“Locus of control” in the concept of J. Rotter

J. Rotter's theory is a theory of social learning, which can be attributed to the cognitive-behavioral direction in psychology. Thus, locus of control is a characteristic of a person’s cognitive sphere, in other words, a certain feature of a person’s perception and thinking.

According to J. Rotter, locus of control is a generalized expectation of the extent to which a person controls reinforcements in his life. Rotter introduced the concept of “locus of control” into his concept of social learning in order to predict human behavior in a given situation. At the same time, locus of control is just one type of “generalized expectations” of people.

External locus of control and internal locus of control

External and internal locus of control So, some people expect (believe, think, are sure) that they themselves control the reinforcements in their lives. In other words, they are confident that whether they receive a reward or punishment for their actions depends only on themselves. Such people exhibit an internal position and can conditionally be called internals.

Other people expect (believe) that no matter what effort they make, receiving reinforcement does not depend on them. Whether they are punished or rewarded depends on all sorts of external factors, from the weather to the opinions and will of other people. Such people can be called externalities.

Thus, knowing what kind of expectation (internal or external) a particular person has in a given situation, we can predict his behavior. From the internal we expect greater stability, purposefulness and independence in a specific situation, and from the external we expect greater social conformity, the desire to make contact and seek a common language with other people.

Externality-internality scale

It is important to remember that external and internal personality types do not exist! Externality-internality is a single scale with two poles. Externality and internality are not a personality type, they are a characteristic of a person’s perception and thinking.

The same person in one situation may be inclined to the internal pole of the scale and believe that here everything depends only on him; and in another situation he will tend to the external pole, believing that there are a number of situations over which he has no control. And that's normal, that's how it should be.

Concluding comments on “locus of control”

What do we have in the bottom line?

1. Locus of control is far from a universal characteristic that can be “attached” and which can “explain” any reality. On the contrary, this characteristic is quite narrow, its scope of application is significantly limited.
2. The concept of “locus of control” is necessary in order to predict a person’s behavior in a specific situation: depending on how free (internal) he believes himself to be in a given situation, this is how he will behave.
3. “Locus of control” is a characteristic of human cognitive processes: perception and thinking.
4. There are no external and internal personality types. The same person will exhibit an external position in one situation and an internal one in another. And it is right.

A person lives in a world where he is surrounded by people, circumstances, phenomena that occur regardless of his desires and needs. When a person begins to act, he makes assumptions about what result he will achieve.

And this assumption already depends on what the individual’s locus of control will be - this is a characteristic that determines what a person’s behavior depends on. The Rotter test has been developed, which allows you to identify which locus of control a person belongs to, according to the method.

What is locus of control?

Locus of control is a person’s personal ability to look for the reasons for his failures or successes in external circumstances or in himself. This quality is usually unchanged throughout life, but is only transformed during the socialization of a person. And the reason is that a person learns to blame someone for his troubles or to find reasons for achieving his successes, fixing his gaze either on other people or on himself.

When considering locus of control, two elements are involved:

1. A significant event that causes strong feelings in a person. If no significance was attached to the event, then the person might not notice what happened at all. However, a person calls a specific event a success or failure (failure), because its achievement was very significant and is subject to critical evaluation.
2. The person himself who is looking for the reasons for the occurrence of a significant event. Here a person either finds reasons in the external world (other people contributed/hampered, circumstances were this way, the time has come or not, etc.) or in himself (“I’m a failure”, “I did everything myself”, “I worked hard ", etc.).

Locus of control is based on a person’s ability to take personal responsibility, that is, to be responsible for the events occurring in his life. Thus, locus of control is divided into:

• Internal type (people in this case are called internals). A person considers himself the only factor that influences what happens to him in life. He counts only on his own qualities and actions, which influence his future.
• External type (people are called externals in this case). A person considers the main factor in shaping his destiny to be external circumstances, the actions of other people, good and bad luck, coincidence, etc.

Rotter's Locus of Control

The concept of “locus of control” was proposed by Rotter, who associated this concept with what one relies on when anticipating an event. When taking actions, what does a person hope for - himself or surrounding factors? What does a person rely on in anticipation of the desired reward (when achieving the desired goal) - on himself or the world around him?

In expected benefit theory, a person desires to achieve a desired outcome. When predicting what actions to take, he focuses on himself or on how external circumstances will develop and other people will behave. This allows us to create two subtypes of locus of control – internal and external. However, Wallston proposed supplementing the external subtype of locus of control with the following subtypes:

1. Explanation of the influence of other people.
2. Explanation by the influence of fate.

Depending on what a person hopes for and how he explains the events occurring in his life, his motivation is formed. So, if a person relies only on himself, then he engages in self-development, self-education, etc. If a person relies on others, then he can learn manipulation, methods of influencing the decisions of other people, etc. If an individual believes that everything depends on the will of fate, then he can do nothing at all, because whatever he does, everything will be meaningless, everything is already predetermined.

When studying the locus of control on a website for psychotherapeutic assistance, the website can reveal the psychology of certain individuals:

• Externals. They expect a situation that will stimulate them externally. At the same time, their main behavioral model is protection. Such people need support and approval. At the same time, the externals themselves cannot provide support and approval. If they achieve success, then they clearly demonstrate their abilities. When failure occurs, they blame everything on bad luck, bad behavior of other people, coincidence, etc. They are characterized by practical thinking and emotional instability. Such people are more prone to conformism and dependent behavior. It is easier for them to work under supervision and control; they cannot live without communication. These people are dependent on public opinion.
• Internals. They focus only on their own capabilities, abilities, competence, and determination. For them, all successes and failures are a pattern (consequence) of all their actions. They are characterized by emotional stability, abstraction, synthesis of considerations, and theoretical thinking. Such people are more prone to subordination to their will and suppression of others. They resist any manipulation and control, infringement of their freedom. It is easier for them to work alone and with a certain amount of freedom when making decisions and performing actions. These people resist the opinions of other people and try to control the behavior of others. They believe that they can cope with any task without the opinions of other people.

A person may incorrectly and biasedly assess his own capabilities and behavior. Regardless of the locus of control, each individual strives to have some degree of power over what happens. Here a person tries to learn to anticipate which of his actions will lead to which consequences. An incorrect assessment of one’s capabilities and actions leads to the fact that a person is faced with results that he did not expect. He encounters situations that disappoint him or are so shocking that the person clearly did not expect, since he predicted everything incorrectly.

Psychologists note that people achieve greater success if they rely primarily on their own strengths. However, there are practically no “pure” internals and externals in the world. Everyone has something more, something less.

Quite often, people look for others to blame. This often happens in situations where a person loses or misses something. He immediately tries to find a lot of arguments as to why this happened, and especially to find those to blame in the person of other people who interfered with his happiness.

Is it necessary to do this? After all, often the person himself is to blame for the troubles he faces. So, why look for those to blame? To ease your conscience? To justify your own mistakes? To prove to yourself that others are guilty and not you? In fact, even finding someone to blame for the situation that happened to you does not give a constructive result. Yes, you have found the culprits of your misfortune. So, what is next? Will you demand from them the return of what you lost? Or will you punish them because they cannot turn back time and not hurt you? All these actions cannot lead you to the result where you return what you need.

Finding the guilty – is it necessary to do this? Do you need to waste your time to find the offender? Or should you still direct your efforts to resolve the situation?

Remember that in any case, your guilt and responsibility are also present. Another person cannot completely ruin your life if you yourself have not given your consent to it. Therefore, it is better to spend your time after encountering failure to find a way out of what happened, resolve the problem so that what is important to you returns to you, and you acquire something that was not there before. Guilty people will not be able to return your “happiness”; they can only apologize. But it is in your power not to look for offenders, but to resolve an unpleasant situation in such a way as to not only return it, but also acquire something valuable for yourself.

Locus of control test

Rotter conducted research during which he found that there are two main categories of people. Some believe that everything depends on themselves, others take the opposite position, believing in the destiny and final significance of external factors. That is why the locus of control test was developed from the basic judgments that people of both categories use.

The internality-externality scale provides an opportunity for a person to find out in which areas of life he relies on himself, and in which - on external circumstances.

Personality locus of control

Locus of control is a personal quality that is aimed at attributing responsibility for one’s own successes and failures either to one’s own factors (behavior, character) or to external factors (circumstances, people, events, luck, etc.). Moreover, this quality is not innate. It is acquired during life, after which it is quite stable. Of course, it can change as a person socializes. However, as it forms, it becomes more and more unchanged.

“Pure” internals and externals are very rare. Usually a person becomes internal in one situation and external in another. In every area of ​​life, a person behaves in one way or another, which was developed in him during his life.

Locus of control helps determine how a person will behave in a given situation. For example, internals in the field of their health quite often understand the causes of their illnesses, monitor their health, and notice in what situations they contributed to their own illness. This is due to the fact that in childhood their parents encouraged them in those moments when they looked after their health, brushed their teeth, etc.

A person becomes one or another representative in the process of his socialization, which can be changed if you change your attitude to the situation and try new models of behavior.

• Internals are considered more successful, independent, self-reliant, friendly, purposeful, balanced, and self-confident. They are moralists who adhere to the rules of society and are distinguished by their friendliness, responsiveness, and cordiality. Capable of making risky decisions. Internals are more future-oriented. Such people reason calmly and coldly, expressing their opinion, even if someone may not like it.
• Externals are unbalanced, suspicious, unsure of themselves, restless, and aggressive. Their actions are dogmatic and authoritarian. Unexpected events make them afraid and wary. Externals are more focused on memories of the past. They try to conform to the group without trying to get all their needs met.

Bottom line

Conventionally, all people can be divided into successful and unsuccessful. Successful people are those who understand that most of their lives are shaped by their decisions and actions. It is people who need to act in order to be happy and successful, and not wait for goodness from fate. Less successful are people who take a passive position and wait for something.

Of course, the “golden mean” must be observed. Not everything is under human control. Much depends on his decisions and actions. However, externals are also right, they see that some events happen regardless of their will, so sometimes they have to obey, adapt, and resign themselves.

Many of us are quite annoyed by control. But I’m sure not everyone thinks about where control comes from and what it represents. Moreover, very few people think about what influences us more as a control - our internal state or external “controllers”.

What is locus of control

So, first, I’ll talk about the concept of locus of control. This is the degree of independence of a person, his activity and independence. As one of the most significant characteristics of a person, locus of control reflects a person’s level of responsibility in achieving any of his specific goals, the level of perception of his responsibility for occurring events and their consequences. At the same time, there is a small (but significant) difference in the loci: external and internal. The fact is that a certain part of the human population in most current situations does not blame itself, not its actions and actions. In this case we are dealing with an external locus. And if a person considers himself to be to blame for everything, then, of course, the locus of control is internal.
In the process of studying the phenomenon of control, many different experimental studies have been carried out. And this is what became clear.
Firstly, it turned out that people with a predominant external locus of control most often react to unforeseen situations with fear and wariness. While individuals with a more developed internal locus perceive the same task more adequately, often even with humor. And when it comes to planning or remembering their lives, the former often turn to the past, while the latter tirelessly look to the future.
Surprising results have also been obtained regarding studies of locus of control and social behavior. People with an external locus adapt, adapt to the opinion of the group, trying to satisfy needs that are far from their own. Others, with an internal locus - assessing the situation more calmly and with restraint, are not afraid to express their point of view and often achieve enviable success through this.
So, people with a developed internal locus of control are distinguished by the fact that:

1. They are attentive to others and to information coming from outside. Thanks to this, they structure their behavior more correctly.
2. They are little susceptible to attempts to pressure their opinions and behavior.
3. Able to strive to improve themselves and their living environment.
4. They are able to adequately assess their behavior, their abilities and shortcomings.

Thus, the internal locus accompanies mature individuals, but the external one, on the contrary, interferes with the process of personal maturation.
Probably, many thought that they had already been able to determine which locus predominated in them? Although in fact, it is very difficult to determine this yourself. Try testing yourself: notice how you react to incoming information - with caution or, on the contrary, with interest?

Locus development

In fact, both external and internal loci must be equally developed in a person in order to achieve harmony in the human personality. And the development of this very locus of control is primarily influenced by a person’s upbringing in the family. Which is quite natural, because some special personal qualities begin to be instilled from a very young age.
Parents need to understand that punishments must be truly deserved, and not received because of the bad mood of mom (dad). Don't forget about rewards (by the way, the power of rewards can awaken in a child the desire to do something right in order to deserve more rewards). Praise your child if he really tries. Praise for nothing. But under no circumstances encourage or praise the guilty child. Give him time to comprehend his mistake and feel guilty. The child must learn to understand and think about his actions, thereby learning to behave adequately in society. By correctly distributing measures of restraint and praise, you can successfully raise a person who has the norm of both internal and external control.
Of course, parents can convince the child that he is not to blame for anything, that “the door itself hit him,” but you need to understand that everything must have a golden mean. By attributing obvious guilt to other people or objects, a person deprives himself of some significant share of responsibility and in the future is quite capable of ceasing to understand the relationship between an act and a consequence. And this already leads to the need to contact psychologists.
For example, think about whether it will be bad for your child (and quite possibly for you too) if you keep telling him “Don’t cry, it’s not your fault!”, even if you probably know that the child is crying to be they were sorry and did not punish. You have to pay for everything, both for your mistakes and misdeeds. And the child must learn to understand this from a very early age. Another thing is to support a child when he is really not to blame for what is happening.
Probably many have encountered the problem of spoiled children. Most often, children who were allowed everything and were never punished for anything grow up to be overly self-confident and arrogant adults, capable of committing actions the consequences of which should be regretted. But such people do not always regret, simply because they do not consider themselves guilty. “That’s how the circumstances turned out.” That is, the child gradually gets used to the fact that with his screams and hysterics he achieves whatever he wants. He carries this ability into adulthood. It is very difficult to find a common language with such people. They tend to be rude and overconfident. And most importantly, they do not value other people’s work and do not at all strive to put any of their efforts into achieving their goals. According to them, others will do everything for them.
At the same time, it would seem that it is necessary to cultivate in a person a sense of responsibility for his actions. But again, in moderation. Blaming yourself always and for everything is also not an option. If you use this method exclusively in raising a child, there is a huge chance that he will grow up to be a “stuck” citizen, always afraid of everything.
For example, as a child, a boy was forbidden to walk in the yard with the guys; they shouted at home all the time: “Don’t take this! Don't stand rooted to the spot! Move away! Don't interfere! Don't touch it! and so on. The child, getting used to the feeling of danger, has closed himself off, he has no friends, no desires of his own (because he is also not allowed to desire), no confidence in his actions. Whatever he does will most likely (in his opinion) be wrong. This boy, if things continue like this, will grow up to be an extremely shy, insecure and almost certainly very lonely man.
Professional educators often mention the need for parents to weigh their requests and orders. The child perceives them much more accurately and effectively when given in small, portioned and, most importantly, reasonable quantities.
The indisputable influence of the following factors on the development of one or another type of locus of control in a person has long been proven. Firstly, if a person was brought up and received holistic experience (the parents’ tasks and teachings were consistent with each other and took into account the interests of the child himself), then the level of internal locus noticeably approached the norm. By the way, the level of internal control is also influenced by what kind of child you are in the family. An only child is selfish, as many say, but everything again depends on the behavior of the parents. First-born children also have a moderate level of internal locus, because Since childhood, they have had at least some responsibility for their younger brothers and sisters.

How to achieve balance

Of course, a person with equally developed internal and external loci of control will be in demand. And that’s why many of us want to change, to become better. It is, of course, possible to change the locus of control, but doing so is a little more difficult than developing over time. For an adult, established personality without their own desire to increase or decrease internal or external control, it is even more difficult. And even more so, if you want to change in the shortest possible time, in this case you will have to contact a psychotherapist so that he can help you with special programs.
In a situation of a prevailing external locus (when a person blames everything around him), it is much easier to change and balance loci without outside help and achieve the desired harmony. As for the predominant, or rather, too predominant internal locus, it is several times less common, and achieving harmony on your own in this case is much more difficult.
And yet, what can be done to achieve internal balance without the help of psychotherapists?! It should be noted right away that the concept of “balance” in this case cannot be taken literally - according to psychologists, the correct ratio is a certain predominance of internal control over external control, and not their equivalent levels.
So, the first rule that is strongly recommended to be followed is, of course, not to transfer your responsibility onto the shoulders of others. Be responsible for everything yourself and in full. Admitting your guilt and being punished for it (even self-punishment, within reason, of course) is the first confident step towards balancing your internal and external loci.
If you notice a considerable amount of internal locus in yourself and would like to change it, I recommend listening to the following advice:

1. Try to understand the meaning of realizing intentions - in order to get something, you need to do something for it. Don't try to take everything at once without giving anything in return. Try to make mutually beneficial transactions in which you satisfy your needs, but also do not infringe on the needs of others.
2. Try to observe the actions of others and the reactions of other people to these actions. Try to establish a connection between a person’s action and his reaction to it. Try to understand why people might be angry or offended at you. Try to be more correct in your behavior and communication.

If you have noticed a weakness in yourself to always succumb to the reaction of a group (perhaps a work team or acquaintances), and you want to change this, try to behave as follows:

1. Be confident in yourself, in your actions and actions. Try to be less receptive to the group’s opinion; don’t be afraid to show that this opinion does not coincide with yours. But under no circumstances forget to listen carefully to other people’s opinions (after all, every point of view has the right to exist!).
2. Try to control yourself - show less negativity towards other individuals.
3. Don't be lazy to change your point of view depending on the information you receive. Often, a principled “insistence on one’s own” does not produce positive results, but leads to nervous breakdowns and resentment. Consider what information was presented to you, not who presented it.

Achieving a balanced state, of course, is facilitated by the development of one’s intellectual level, the development of one’s own life positions, and the determination of personal moral guidelines and principles. In addition to this, and regardless of the prevailing locus of control, I advise you to understand and do the following.

1. Harmony should be understood as something achievable and quite close to the current state of a person. Awareness of this and self-conviction of this determines the initial, optimistic step towards self-improvement. Realizing that there are only a few steps left to a state of calm and balance, a person tries to go through these steps faster and more correctly, which leads to a good result. Try to find some good quality in yourself. Just not “good” in your opinion, but good in general. For example, you are friendly. And others notice this. Understand that being friendly is good. And being friendly and not afraid of responsibility for your actions is even better.
2. A person should set small achievable goals in the process of achieving the big main goal. Completing small goals helps a person feel the usefulness of feasible actions and internal changes in his personality. It is clear that goals and requirements for them will become more complex and piling up as a person grows, which will indicate the improvement of a person.
   For example, try setting yourself the following goal: “Today I will not let go of any responsibility!” Fight for justice, defend your point of view, but do not blame others! Tomorrow, set yourself the same goal, but for a week. Gradually, you will get used to evaluating and analyzing yourself and your behavior in such a way as to understand your responsibility.
3. You need to remember that you cannot put off achieving your goals - achieving harmony is daily work.
4. You need to understand that education and self-education is a long process and, in fact, endless. Its results may appear quickly or not for years. Once you achieve balance, you will feel how much your life has improved. The accompanying feeling of satisfaction with yourself and everything you do will be the key to your good mood and sense of self. And an expanded area of ​​interests and self-realization in them will be one of the signs of successful work in the field of self-improvement. Your personality, your body and your body will be pleased with yourself and proud. Try to understand that you are a small part of the world, responsible in your own way for everything that happens, but also helpless in your own way. Stop looking for those to blame - not only is it a boring activity, but it is also completely useless. When you see people’s mistakes and ugly misdeeds, take them into account and don’t repeat them. Eradicate this in yourself! Gain new experience!

Each person receives a share of his personality from childhood - from family, acquaintances, educators and teachers. But everyone is equally able to decide what kind of person they want to become. In general, perhaps no one is controlling you in the knowledge of everyone, perhaps you are subjecting yourself to control. And, most likely, internal.
Fight for your “I”, cherish and punish it, developing and learning.

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