Locus of Control in Young Adults in Russia and the United States

Abstract

A comparison of scores on perceived relative economic status and locus of control was made between young adults in Russia and in the United States prior to the fall of communism. 84 students in Moscow and 88 students in the USA were voluntary participants. There was no national difference in mean perceived, relative economic status. The Russian students scored more external than the USA students on over-all locus of control and on the subcategories of Luck/Fate, Academics, Leadership/Success, and Politics. This pattern reversed with the Respect subcategory. USA students scored more external than those in Russia. These findings agree with past comparisons of samples from collectivist and democratic societies.