Self-made Martyr: Queendom.com Study Looks at How Locus of Control Influences Victim Mentality
Montreal, Canada (PRWEB) January 31, 2014 -- Some people view setbacks as a normal part of life. The problem is dealt with, a lesson is learned, and life goes on. There are those, however, who get stuck somewhere in that equation. They possess what psychologists call an “external locus of control” (LOC), believing that they have no power over how their life unfolds. As research from Queendom.com shows, this perspective can significantly impact a person’s attitude, happiness, and ability to succeed.
When something bad happens to someone, the response is usually sympathy, and perhaps reassurance that the person has simply run into a streak of bad luck. But what about people who seem to continually draw drama into their lives? Those who complain that nothing works out for them, and that their life is a string of mishaps? While more fortunate people seem to coast through life (or at least overcome their obstacles), these who see themselves as victims continue to dangle mercilessly at the hands of a malicious yet unknown puppeteer. Are they really the butt of a very cruel cosmic joke, or are they the authors of their own demise?
“Locus of control can have a significant impact on people’s thoughts, decisions, outlook, and actions,” explains Dr. Jerabek, president of the company. “People with internal LOC own their successes and failures, and don’t sit back and wait for things to happen. They feel that they are in control of their life, and can make things happen - they actively look for opportunities. Internal LOC people are more likely to take responsibility for mistakes, learn from their experiences, and see self-improvement as a long-term process. If you have an internal LOC employee or romantic partner, you’ll have someone who is confident, proactive, and in control, and who takes life by the proverbial horns rather than being jostled aimlessly by life’s bumps and bruises.”
“On the flipside, those with an external locus of control tend to be more passive – or believe that when they do take action, it won’t make much of a difference either way. Granted, there are some advantages to an external LOC. Disappointment and failure is not so hard to swallow if you can blame it on uncontrollable circumstances or other people, so your self-esteem isn’t impacted too much. However, people with an external locus tend to struggle through life more. For them, anything good that happens is fluke, and anything bad that happens is unavoidable and outside their power to change. So if their life is miserable, it’s just the way it is. That is a very demoralizing and depressing way to live, and sets the person up for disappointment and failure, every time,” concludes Dr. Jerabek.
Analyzing the results of 44,487 people who took the Locus of Control Test, Queendom’s statistics reveal that the majority of people fall between an internal and external locus of control (the average score is 61, on a scale from 0 to 100; a high score indicating an internal LOC). Essentially, while they feel that they do possess some degree of control over their life, they believe that not all events and circumstances are within their control - whether it involves the direction of their career (score of 64), relationships (score of 60), health (score of 66), or the fate of the world in general (score of 65).
Gender comparisons reveal that women are more likely to believe that they can make an impact on the world (e.g. 70% of women vs. 63% of men believe that their vote in an election makes a difference). Women also have a more proactive approach to their health (60% of women get regular medical exams vs. 46% of men; 63% of women believe that cancer can be overcome vs. 57% of men). Locus of control also seems to be a function of age, with older age groups possessing a more internal LOC. Older age groups are also less likely to believe in luck, destiny, or fate.
Here are some other tidbits from Queendom’s study:
• 73% of people with an external LOC believe that a person cannot rise above their background and become successful; only 1% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 67% of people with an external LOC believe that once a negative first impression has been made, it cannot be changed; only 2% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 93% of people with an external LOC believe that bad or good luck can “follow someone around” and become a permanent influence on their life; only 2% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 82% of people with an external LOC believe that many people lead miserable lives because of their parents; only 2% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 94% of people with an external LOC believe that a person can fail at something simply because they’re having a bad day; only 6% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 98% of people with an external LOC believe that they have no control over whether people will like them or not; 25% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 70% of people with an external LOC believe that their health is predetermined by their genes; only 1% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
• 75% of people with an external LOC believe that there is not much a person can do to prevent sickness; only 5% of people with an internal LOC believe this.
Interested in finding out more about your Locus of Control? You can take the test at http://www.queendom.com/tests/take_test.php?idRegTest=704.
Professional users of this assessment (HR professionals, therapists, coaches and consultants) can request a free demo of this or any other tests from ARCH Profile’s extensive battery: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/testdrive_gen_1.
About Queendom.com
Queendom.com is a subsidiary of PsychTests AIM Inc. Queendom.com is a site that creates an interactive venue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun. The site offers a full range of professional-quality, scientifically-validated psychological assessments that empower people to grow and reach their real potential through insightful feedback and detailed, custom-tailored analysis.
About PsychTests AIM Inc.:
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com). The company’s research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.
Ilona Jerabek, PsychTests AIM Inc., http://psychtests.com, +1 514-745-3189 Ext: 112, [email protected]
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