Relationships among Locus of Control, Academic Achievement, and Perception of Autokinetic Movement

Abstract

The relationships among scores on locus of control (Rotter's I-E Scale), autokinetic movement, and the American College Test were investigated. I-E scores and ACT composite scores were obtained for 90 university students (45 males and 45 females) in introductory psychology. All subjects were tested for 5 min. in an autokinetic test situation. It was predicted that subjects with an external locus of control would be more associated to lower scores on the ACT and perceive more autokinetic movement than subjects with an internal locus of control. Partial support was obtained for this prediction. Perception of autokinetic movement was significantly more associated with externally oriented subjects than internally oriented subjects. Externality was not more associated with lower scores on the ACT than internality.