Locus of Control revisited: development of a new bi-dimensional measure

• Javier Suárez-Alvarez ^[1] ; Ignacio Pedrosa ^[1] ; Eduardo García-Cueto ^[1] ; José Muñiz ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad de Oviedo

     Universidad de Oviedo

     Oviedo, España

     
• Localización: Anales de psicología, ISSN-e 1695-2294, ISSN 0212-9728, Vol. 32, Nº. 2, 2016, págs. 578-586
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.6018/analesps.32.2.200781
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Locus de control revisitado: desarrollo de una medida bidimensional
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Dialnet Métricas: 5 Citas
• Resumen
  • español

    El estudio del locus de control (LOC) presenta una larga tradición en Psicología, y se han diseñado distintos instrumentos para su medición.

    Sin embargo, la dimensionalidad del constructo no está clara y sigue siendo motivo de controversia en la actualidad. El objetivo del presente trabajo es presentar nuevas evidencias de validez sobre la dimensionalidad del LOC. Para ello se ha desarrollado un nuevo instrumento de medida compuesto por 23 ítems. Se utilizó una muestra de 697 participantes de los cuales el 57.5% fueron mujeres (M=22.43; DT= 9.19). Los resultados apoyan la bidimensionalidad del LOC: interno y externo. El coeficiente de fiabilidad de cada subescala fue de .87 para LOC interno y .85 para LOC externo.

    Por otra parte, ambas subescalas han mostrado adecuadas evidencias de validez en función de las relaciones con la autoeficacia, motivación de logro y optimismo (rxy> .21). Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en función del sexo (p < .05), los hombres puntuaron más alto en LOC externo y las mujeres en LOC interno. Las evidencias de validez aquí presentadas apoyan una estructura de dos dimensiones para el constructo LOC. El instrumento desarrollado ha mostrado adecuadas propiedades psicométricas en términos de validez y fiabilidad

  • English

    : Locus of control (LOC) has a long tradition in Psychology, and various instruments have been designed for its measurement. However, the dimensionality of the construct is unclear, and still gives rise to considerable controversy. The aim of the present work is to present new evidence of validity in relation to the dimensionality of LOC. To this end, we developed a new measurement instrument with 23 items. The sample was made up of 697 Spanish participants, of whom 57.5% were women (M=22.43; SD= 9.19). The results support the bi-dimensionality of LOC:

    internal (α=.87) and external (α=.85). Furthermore, both subscales have shown adequate validity evidence in relation to self-efficacy, achievement motivation and optimism (rxy> .21). Statistically significant differences were found by sex (p < .05): men scored higher in external LOC and women in internal LOC. The validity evidence supports a two-dimensional structure for the LOC, and the measurement instrument developed showed adequate psychometric properties.

• Referencias bibliográficas
  • American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education. (2014). Standards...
  • Baker, F. (2001). The basics of item response theory. College Park: ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation, University of Maryland.
  • Barrada, J.R. (2012). Computerized adaptive testing: a general perspective. Anales de Psicología, 28(1), 289-302.
  • Beretvas, S.N., Suizzo, M., Durham, J.A., & Yarnell, L.M. (2008). A reliability generalization study of Scores on the Rotter and Nowicki-Strickland...
  • Bonetti, D., Johnston, M., Rodríguez-Marin, J., Pastor, M., Martin-Aragon, M., Doherty, E., & Sheehan, K. (2001). Dimensions of perceived...
  • Burnham, K.P. & Anderson, D.R. (2004). Multimodel inference: Understanding AIC and BIC in model selection. Sociological Methods and Research,...
  • Byrne, B.M. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Byrne, B.M (2008). Testing for multigroup equivalence of a measuring instrument: A walk through the process. Psicothema, 20(4), 872-882.
  • Cheng, C., Cheung, S.F., Chio, J.H., & Chan, M.P. (2012). Cultural meaning of perceived control: A meta-analysis of locus of control and...
  • Cheng, Y., Yuan, K., & Liu, C. (2012). Comparison of reliability measures under factor analysis and item response theory. Educational...
  • Cuesta, M., Fonseca-Pedrero, E., Vallejo, G., & Muñiz, J. (2013). Missing data and psychometric properties of personality tests. Anales...
  • De Ayala, R.J. (2009). The theory and practice of item response theory. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Dimitrov, D.M. (2010). Testing for factorial invariance in the context of construct validation. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and...
  • Downing, S.M. (2006). Twelve steps for effective test development. In S. M. Downing & T. M. Haladyna (Eds.), Handbook of test development...
  • Duttweiler, P.C. (1984). The Internal Control Index: A newly developed measure of locus of control. Educational and Psychological Measurement,...
  • Elosua, P. & Zumbo, B.D. (2008). Reliability coefficients for ordinal response scales. Psicothema, 20(4), 896-901.
  • Fernández-Alonso, R., Suárez-Álvarez, J., & Muñiz, J. (2012). Imputation methods for missing data in educational diagnostic evaluation....
  • Ferrando, P.J., Demestre, J., Anguiano-Carrasco, C., & Chico, E. (2011). An IRT assessment of Rotter I-E scale: A new approach and some...
  • French, B.F., Hand, B., Therrien, W.J., & Valdivia Vazquez, J.A. (2012). Detection of sex differential item functioning in the Cornell...
  • Furnham, A. (2010). A parental locus of control scale. Individual Differences Research, 8(3), 151-163.
  • Gómez-Benito, J., Hidalgo, M.D., & Zumbo, B.D. (2013). Effectiveness of combining statistical tests and effect sizes when using logistic...
  • Grissom, R.J. & Kim, J.J. (2011). Effect Sizes for Research: Univariate and Multivariate Applications, Second Edition. New York, NY: Routledge.
  • Hambleton, R.K, Swaminathan, H., & Rogers, H.J. (1991). Fundamentals of Item Response Theory. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications, inc.
  • Huntley, F.L., Palmer, E.J., & Wakeling, H.C. (2012). Validation of an adaptation of Levenson’s locus of control scale with adult male...
  • Kline, R.B. (2005). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.
  • Kóbor, A., Takács, A., & Urbán, R. (2013). The Bifactor Model of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. European Journal of Psychological...
  • Kormanik, M.B. & Rocco, T.S. (2009). Internal versus external control of reinforcement: A review of the locus of control construct. Human...
  • Lefcourt, H.M. (1991). Locus of control. In Robinson, J.P., Shaver, P. R., & Wrightsman, L.S. (Eds.), Measures of personality and social...
  • Levenson, H. (1974). Activism and powerful others: Distinction within the concept of internal-external control. Journal of Personality Assessment,...
  • Levenson, H. (1981). Differentiating among internality, powerful others, and chance. In H. M. Lefcourt (Ed.), Research with the locus of control...
  • Little, T.D., Cunningham, W.A., & Shahar, G. (2002). To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits. Structural...
  • Lozano, L.M., García-Cueto, E., & Muñiz, J. (2008). Effect of the number of response categories on the reliability and validity of rating...
  • Malcarne, V. L., Fernández, S., & Flores, L. (2005). Factorial validity of the multidimensional health locus of control scales for three...
  • Manager, T. & Eikeland, O.J. (2000). On the relationship between locus of control, level of ability and gender. Scandinavian Journal of...
  • Marsh, H.W. & Richards, G.E. (1987). The multidimensionality of the Rotter I-E Scale and its Higher-order structure: An application of...
  • McCrae, R.R. (2013). Exploring trait assessment of samples, persons, and cultures. Journal of Personality Assessment, 95(6), 556-570. doi:...
  • Morales-Vives, F., Camps, E., & Lorenzo-Seva, U. (2013). Development and validation of the Psychological Maturity Assessment Scale (PSYMAS)....
  • Muñiz, J. (1997). Introducción de la teoría de respuesta a los items [Introduction to item response theory]. Madrid: Pirámide.
  • Muñiz, J., Fidalgo, A.M., García-Cueto, E., Martínez, R., & Moreno, R. (2005). Análisis de los ítems [Item analysis]. Madrid: La muralla.
  • Muñiz, J., García-Cueto, E., & Lozano, L. M. (2005). Item format and the psychometric properties of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire....
  • Muñiz, J., Suárez-Álvarez, J., Pedrosa, I., Fonseca-Pedrero, E., & García-Cueto, E. (2014). Enterprising personality profile in youth:...
  • Muthén, L.K. & Muthén, B.O. (2010). Mplus User’s Guide. Sixth Edition. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén. Retrieved from: http://www.statmodel.com/download/usersguide/Mplus%20Users%20Guide%20v6.pdf
  • Nowicki, S. & Duke, M.P. (1983). The Nowicki-Strickland Life-Span Locus of Control Scales: Construct validation. In H. M. Lefcourt (Ed.),...
  • Paulhus, D L., & van Selst, M. (1990). The spheres of control scale: 10 yrs of research. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 1029–1036....
  • Reise, S.P., Scheines, R., Widaman, K.F., & Haviland, M.G. (2013). Multidimensionality and structural coefficient bias in structural equation...
  • Rotter, J.B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80(1), 1-28....
  • Samejima, F. (1969). Estimation latent ability using a response pattern of graded scores. Psychometrika Monograph Supplement, 34, 100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02290599
  • Severino, S., Aiello, F., Cascio, M., Ficarra, L., & Messina, R. (2011). Dis-tance education: The role of self-efficacy and locus of control...
  • Smith, P.B.,Trompenaars, F., & Dugan, S. (1995). The Rotter locus of control scale in 43 countries: A test of cultural relativity. International...
  • Stevens, N.R., Hamilton, N.A., & Wallston, K.A. (2011). Validation of the multidimensional health locus of control scales for labor and...
  • Suárez-Álvarez, J., Campillo-Álvarez, A., Fonseca-Pedrero, E., García-Cueto, E., & Muñiz, J. (2013). Professional training in the workplace:...
  • Suárez-Álvarez, J., Pedrosa, I., García-Cueto, I., & Muñiz, J. (2014). Screening enterprising personality in youth: An empirical model....
  • Thompson, E.R. & Prendergast, G.P. (2013). Belief in luck and luckiness: Conceptual clarification and new measure validation. Personality...
  • Urbig, D. & Monsen, E. (2012). The structure of optimism: Controllability affects the extent to which efficacy beliefs shape outcome expectancies....
  • Van der Linden, W.J. & Glas, C.A.W. (Eds.) (2010). Elements of adaptive testing. London: Springer.
  • Van der Linden, W. J. & Hambleton, R. K. (1996). Handbook of Modern Item Response Theory. New York: Springer-Verlag.
  • Wang, Q., Bowling, N.A., & Eschleman, K.J. (2010). A meta-analytic examination of work and general locus of control. Journal of Applied...
  • Watters, D.A., Thomas, B.H., & Streiner, D.L. (1990). Factor analysis of the Nowicki-Strickland locus of control scale: Why is replication...
  • Weiner, B. (1979). A theory of motivation for some classroom experiences. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71(1), 3-25.
  • Wilson, M. (2005). Constructing measures: An item response modeling approach. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Zimmermann, G., Rossier, J., Meyer de Stadelhofen, F., & Gaillard, F. 2005. Alexithymia assessment and relations with dimensions of personality....