Social Desirability as a Variable in the Locus of Control Scale

Bibliographic Data

ID13667436
AuthorsLarry A Hjelle (State University College of New York at Brockport, corresponding author)
Year1971
Volume28
Issue3
Pages807-816
Publication date1971-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-2941 • E-ISSN: 1558-691X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2466/pr0.1971.28.3.807
PMID5091448
OpenAlexW2067063199
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited7

The present series of studies based on Ss in Catholic institutions attempted to explore several related questions concerning the social-desirability variable in the Internal-External Locus of Control scale (I-E). Results of Study I indicated that a majority of the I-E items have probability of endorsement values which depart significantly from a hypothetical value of P = .50, both for standard instruction and social-desirability instruction conditions. Study II demonstrated a small relationship between S's I-E score and S's tendency to agree with I-E items of high response-preference value ( r = .20). This relationship was especially obvious for those Ss designated as internally controlled. In Study III a significant relationship was shown between the social-desirability scale values for I-E items and the probability of I-E item endorsements ( r = .43). Moreover, a sizeable number of internal items were rated as significantly more socially desirable than the corresponding external items. It was suggested that the I-E scale may be contaminated by social desirability and that consequently the validity of the scale as a measure of locus of control is questionable

Control (management · Developmental psychology · Locus of control · Scale (ratio · Social desirability · Cultural Differences and Values · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

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