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Making Monday
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Locus of Control
February 27, 2023
Locus of Control was developed by personality psychologist Julian Rotter in the 50s.
A locus in geometry is a point whose location can be mapped mathematically.
Rotter applied this locus mapping concept to his interest in mapping degree of agency—in other words, the extent to which we believe we can control events that affect us.
Here's the model…
Imagine a donut. Locus of Control refers to where on the donut we place our attention and energy.
The space outside the donut consists of things happening in the world that in no way shape outcomes in our life. They simply don't affect us. Furthermore, we have no control over them. This is thus the zone of “No Effect—No Control.”
This zone includes gossip, lives of celebrities, and almost all entertainment. In truth, most of the news we consume fits into this category of things we do not control that don't affect us either.
The edible part of the donut represents events and circumstances that affect our lives and outcomes, but that we still do not control. This is the “Effect—No Control” zone.
Weather comes to mind. It affects us but we have no control over it. Another example would be morning commute traffic.
In the center is the zone of “Effect—Control.” These are events, concerns, and circumstances that absolutely affect our life outcomes and that we 100% control.
I call this the Donut Hole of Control, which BTW is my personal contribution to Locus of Control theory. ;-)
Successful, happy, empowered, healthy people tend to concern themselves with the Donut Hole of Control. They devote most of their time, effort, energy, attention, and resources to things that both affect their life outcomes and that they 100% control.
Besides mapping a general orientation to life focus, Locus of Control helps us clarify our agency in any given situation. We can ask…
• What about this issue actually affects me (if anything)?
• What about it do I 100% control (if anything)?
• What about it may I be able to influence, even if I can't control it?
• How may I revise my thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors toward it to mitigate or multiply its effects?
Returning to the previous examples of weather and traffic… I don't control them, but I can surely take an umbrella and leave earlier or later.
I find simple awareness of the model powerfully influences my outlook and decisions. When I'm spinning around about something, I'm quicker to recognize that I may have wandered outside the donut.
Or I'm eating the donut, which is decidedly not nutritious.
The only place of clarity, serenity, and efficacy seems to be in the hole.
Together, let's end the fight to change…
Delmar
