Some Cues against the Cross-Cultural Validity of Locus of Control as a Basic Personality Trait

Abstract

A scale, containing the three most representative items of Rotter's Internal-External locus of control scale, embedded in a broader series of items (about general life themes) in Liken format, was administered in two studies to two samples of 437 adult individuals and of 380 psychology students, both in Italy. Analysis showed no significant correlations among the ratings of the three items of Rotter for both samples. Moreover, responses to these three items were included in different factors yielded by a factor analysis of the total series of items, over both samples. The data suggest that locus of control (in the sense of Rotter) may reflect independent traits and values rather than discrete aspects of personality. For the most part such values seem to depend on the cultural context of reference.

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