AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF ANTECEDENTS OF LOCUS OF CONTROL OF REINFORCEMENT

Locus of control of reinforcement refers to a generalised problem-solv ing expectancy reflecting the degree to which individuals perceive rei nforcements as contingent on their own behaviour (internal control) or on some external force such as luck, chance, or fate (external contro l). The present study tested predictions based on Rotter's social lear ning theory that mothers of children with internal control expectancie s would provide more contingent reinforcement, support, and encouragem ent of independence than mothers of children with external control exp ectancies. The interaction of 51 children and their mothers was video- taped while they attempted puzzle-solving tasks of two difficulty leve ls. No analyses were significant for the easy level task. In contrast, the difficult task produced several significant findings. Mothers of boys with internal control expectancies provided more contingent suppo rt in response to their sons' difficulties and were less likely to res pond to their son's difficulties by performing the task for their sons or by watching them struggle. Surprisingly, mothers of girls with int ernal control expectancies were more likely than mothers of girls with external control expectancies to ignore their daughters' accomplishme nts and difficulties. Thus, the results provided partial support for p redictions derived from Rotter's social learning theory for the develo pment of generalised control expectancies.