Relationship between locus of control and chronological age
Abstract
A study was conducted to replicate and extend the findings of Lao (1974) which showed an increasing sense of personal efficacy from youth to adulthood, a stabilized sense of internal control through middle age, and no decrease in internality among elderly Ss. Current findings (100 college students, an occupational survey sample of 383) generally replicate these outcomes. Also, elderly Ss believed they were personally competent, and not at the mercy of powerful others or a capricious environment. Such findings question stereotypes of elderly as powerless and dependent on others to subsist in a threatening and unreliable environment.
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Internal locus of control may increase until middle age, decreasing thereafter.
“Literature suggests that the internal locus of control may increase until middle age, decreasing thereafter [20, 21].”
From Health anxiety, coping mechanisms and COVID 19: An Indian community sample at week 1 of lockdown (2021) · cites this paper as [21]
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- Authors
- Ryckman, R. M., & Malikiosi, M. X.
- Affiliations
- University of Maine (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Reports
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1975-04
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 655-658
- ISSN
- 0033-2941 (ISSN-L)
- 1558-691X
- OpenAlex
- W1989346128
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 6.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Reports (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health and Wellbeing Research
- Keywords
- locus of control, chronological age, age differences, personal efficacy, internal control, older adults, age stereotypes, replication, university students
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aging, Dependency, Psychological, Humans, Internal-External Control, Middle Aged, Self Concept, Social Class, Social Environment
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