This study aims to explore locus of control and care from the perspective of older people (aged 60 years and older) in relation to younger people. Nine older people (8 female and 1 male) living in the Vaalharts community in the Northern Cape province of South Africa participated in the research. From the perspective of older persons, locus of control in intergenerational relations refers to how they subjectively evaluate the control they exert in relation to the younger generation and the broader environment. The extent to which older persons subjectively evaluate rewards and punishments from the interpersonal context and the broader environment will inform the manifestations of control (internal or external). Internal locus of control refers to the subjective evaluation by older people: that they are in control of their lives and the environment, and that they can give and receive care. Older people with an external locus of control believe that their lives and environment are uncontrollable and governed by external factors. Little research has focused on locus of control and care in intergenerational relationships. The research was approved by the human research ethical committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences in the North-West University. Guidelines provided by the Health Professions Council of South Africa for psychologists were followed during and after the research process. A qualitative research approach was used. The participants were first selected by using purposive sampling. Data were gathered over three days by using the Mmogo method®. The older people were asked to make something using these materials to illustrate their experiences or the way in which they experienced care in relationship to younger people. The participants had the opportunity to explain their presentations and prompting questions were asked. The data were analysed by using thematic and visual analyses. Trustworthiness was ensured by testing for credibility, transferability, dependability and comformability. The data revealed four themes. First, the older people expressed internal locus control in relation to the younger people by accepting responsibility to care for them. In relation to the environment, they used the land proactively. In doing so, they demonstrated the expectation of being rewarded for their efforts: the land would provide them with the food as a reward. Second, older people demonstrated strategies associated with internal locus of control in relation to the younger people and the environment. They modelled expected behaviour, educated the younger people and monitored their school work. It is only in relation to disciplining younger people that older people demonstrated external locus of control. They sought external assistance to discipline the younger people, which included appeals to the police, God and the researchers. Third, the outcomes of the strategies to exercise control over the younger people were not effective, as the subjective expressions of disappointment and the rejecting behaviour of the younger people showed. Last, the older people tried to gain control over the younger people by applying escalating attempts at corporal discipline. These findings, in contributing to an understanding of locus of control and care, may be used to facilitate positive relationships between younger and older people, which are vital for both generations‟ well-being. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study aims to explore locus of control and care from the perspective of older people (aged 60 years and older) in relation to younger people. Nine older people (8 female and 1 male) living in the Vaalharts community in the Northern Cape province of South Africa participated in the research. From the perspective of older persons, locus of control in intergenerational relations refers to how they subjectively evaluate the control they exert in relation to the younger generation and the broader environment. The extent to which older persons subjectively evaluate rewards and punishments from the interpersonal context and the broader environment will inform the manifestations of control (internal or external). Internal locus of control refers to the subjective evaluation by older people: that they are in control of their lives and the environment, and that they can give and receive care. Older people with an external locus of control believe that their lives and environment are uncontrollable and governed by external factors. Little research has focused on locus of control and care in intergenerational relationships. The research was approved by the human research ethical committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences in the North-West University. Guidelines provided by the Health Professions Council of South Africa for psychologists were followed during and after the research process. A qualitative research approach was used. The participants were first selected by using purposive sampling. Data were gathered over three days by using the Mmogo method®. The older people were asked to make something using these materials to illustrate their experiences or the way in which they experienced care in relationship to younger people. The participants had the opportunity to explain their presentations and prompting questions were asked. The data were analysed by using thematic and visual analyses. Trustworthiness was ensured by testing for credibility, transferability, dependability and comformability. The data revealed four themes. First, the older people expressed internal locus control in relation to the younger people by accepting responsibility to care for them. In relation to the environment, they used the land proactively. In doing so, they demonstrated the expectation of being rewarded for their efforts: the land would provide them with the food as a reward. Second, older people demonstrated strategies associated with internal locus of control in relation to the younger people and the environment. They modelled expected behaviour, educated the younger people and monitored their school work. It is only in relation to disciplining younger people that older people demonstrated external locus of control. They sought external assistance to discipline the younger people, which included appeals to the police, God and the researchers. Third, the outcomes of the strategies to exercise control over the younger people were not effective, as the subjective expressions of disappointment and the rejecting behaviour of the younger people showed. Last, the older people tried to gain control over the younger people by applying escalating attempts at corporal discipline. These findings, in contributing to an understanding of locus of control and care, may be used to facilitate positive relationships between younger and older people, which are vital for both generations‟ well-being. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The relationship between the business-formation process and the use of government or outside counselling is examined, by differentiating, among a total group of 78 small-firm owners, between those who created their ventures and those who bought them. The group of venture initiators was found as having requested government help in one-third of the start-ups, while none of the business buyers had resorted to such support. At the same time, the first group displayed a more internal locus of control disposition than the other, thus reinforcing earlier findings about entrepreneurs. Both groups, however, were strongly internal-oriented compared to general populations. SOMMAIRE: À partir d'un groupe de propriétaires, créateurs ou acquéreurs, de petites entreprises, l'auteur établit le rapport entre le processus d'établissement et le recours au counselling gouvernemental ou exterieur. On constate que le tiers des propriétaires qui ont créé leur entreprise ont demandé l'aide du gouvernement, contre aucun parmi ceux qui s'en sont portés acquéreurs. On a également constaté que le premier groupe avait une nette tendance à établir Ie siège du contrôle à l'interieur des structures comparativement aux autres, ce qui renforce les constatations précédentes au sujet des entrepreneurs. Toutefois, les deux groupes à l'étude mettaient un accent beaucoup plus prononcé sur le controle interne que le reste des entreprises.

This study explores the relationship between internal-external locus of control and some characteristics of overweight subjects in a weight-control program in the summer and fall of 1973. Only white, female, over-weight, and obese subjects were used. From this study, it appears that Rotter's I-E concept applies to weight loss. This one significant finding lends support to research that internals control their impulses better than externals and that internals seem to learn and retain relevant information better than externals.

A presente pesquisa investigou a relação de alguns comportamentos de liderança, denominados de Liderança Executiva, com a concentração hormônio Testosterona, medido na saliva. Também foram analisadas as relações da Liderança Executiva com a Relação Digital (RD=2d/4d), definida pela razão entre o comprimento do 2º dedo (indicador) dividido pelo comprimento do 4º dedo (anelar) e com o conceito de internalidade do Lócus de Controle. Estes estudos visavam dar um subsídio maior para a adoção de um modelo bio-social no estudo da liderança. Um grupo de 169 participantes, estudantes de um curso de Pós-graduação, foram submetidos ao questionário de auto-avaliação (autopercepção) de liderança executiva, elaborado a partir do Inventário Fatorial de Personalidade - IFP. Com base no escore obtido foram divididos em três grupos: (1) baixa percepção de liderança (BPL), (2) média percepção de liderança (MPL) e (3) alta percepção de liderança (APL). Uma análise estatística permitiu selecionar 10 participantes mais característicos em cada grupo. Estes 30 participantes foram submetidos à coleta e análise da concentração de T salivar, utilizando-se o kit da Salimetrics Inc (catalog nº 1-2412). Também foram feitas medições do comprimento do segundo e quarto dedo, para o cálculo da Relação Digital. Para avaliação do Lócus de Controle (LoC) foi aplicada a Escala de Rotter. A hipótese principal de que os três grupos iriam diferir na concentração de Testosterona salivar foi confirmada estatisticamente, revelando uma relação direta positiva entre autopercepção de liderança e concentração de T salivar. A hipótese relativa à relação inversa entre percepção de liderança e relação digital não foi confirmada. Da mesma forma a relação entre percepção de liderança e internalidade do Lócus de Controle também não foi confirmada pelos dados da pesquisa. Os resultados obtidos oferecem uma contribuição importante para os projetos futuros de aperfeiçoamento de um modelo mais integrado, de natureza biossocial, para o constructo da liderança. / The current research investigated the relationship of some leadership behaviors, thereafter called Executive Leadership, with the concentration levels of testosterone found in the human saliva. The research also investigated the corelations among Executive Leadership behaviors, the digital ratio (2nd:4th) and the concept of internal Locus of Control. The digit ratio is defined as the division of the length of 2nd finger (index finger) by the length of 4th finger (ring finger). Such study aimed at providing additional subsidies for adopting a biosocial model to understanding leadership. A group of 169 male students enrolled in a postgraduation program was selected as participants. They answered an Executive Leadership behaviors self assessment questionnaire (self perception). The questionnaire was based on the Inventário Fatorial de Personalidade - IFP. The subjects were grouped based on their questionnaire\'s scores: (1) low self perception of leadership (BPL), (2) average self perception of leadership (MPL) e (3) high self perception of leadership (APL). Through statistic analysis the 10 most characteristic participants of each of the three groups were selected. These 30 participants were submitted to collection and analysis of saliva testosterone concentration level, using the kit provided by Salimetrics Inc (catalog nº 1-2412). On top of that, their index and ring fingers´s length was measured, as means to obtain data to calculate the digital ratio. The Rotter Scale was used to assess the Locus of Control (LoC). The main hypothesis - the three groups would differ with regards to the concentration of testosterone found in their saliva - was statistically confirmed, therefore there is direct positive relationship between self perception of leadership and concentration of T in the saliva. The hypothesis of inverse relationship between self perception of leadership and Digit Ratio was not confirmed. The research data also did not confirm relationship between internal Locus of Control and self perception of leadership. The results obtained through the research offer an important contribution for future studies of integrated biosocial leadership models.

A presente pesquisa investigou a relação de alguns comportamentos de liderança, denominados de Liderança Executiva, com a concentração hormônio Testosterona, medido na saliva. Também foram analisadas as relações da Liderança Executiva com a Relação Digital (RD=2d/4d), definida pela razão entre o comprimento do 2º dedo (indicador) dividido pelo comprimento do 4º dedo (anelar) e com o conceito de internalidade do Lócus de Controle. Estes estudos visavam dar um subsídio maior para a adoção de um modelo bio-social no estudo da liderança. Um grupo de 169 participantes, estudantes de um curso de Pós-graduação, foram submetidos ao questionário de auto-avaliação (autopercepção) de liderança executiva, elaborado a partir do Inventário Fatorial de Personalidade - IFP. Com base no escore obtido foram divididos em três grupos: (1) baixa percepção de liderança (BPL), (2) média percepção de liderança (MPL) e (3) alta percepção de liderança (APL). Uma análise estatística permitiu selecionar 10 participantes mais característicos em cada grupo. Estes 30 participantes foram submetidos à coleta e análise da concentração de T salivar, utilizando-se o kit da Salimetrics Inc (catalog nº 1-2412). Também foram feitas medições do comprimento do segundo e quarto dedo, para o cálculo da Relação Digital. Para avaliação do Lócus de Controle (LoC) foi aplicada a Escala de Rotter. A hipótese principal de que os três grupos iriam diferir na concentração de Testosterona salivar foi confirmada estatisticamente, revelando uma relação direta positiva entre autopercepção de liderança e concentração de T salivar. A hipótese relativa à relação inversa entre percepção de liderança e relação digital não foi confirmada. Da mesma forma a relação entre percepção de liderança e internalidade do Lócus de Controle também não foi confirmada pelos dados da pesquisa. Os resultados obtidos oferecem uma contribuição importante para os projetos futuros de aperfeiçoamento de um modelo mais integrado, de natureza biossocial, para o constructo da liderança. / The current research investigated the relationship of some leadership behaviors, thereafter called Executive Leadership, with the concentration levels of testosterone found in the human saliva. The research also investigated the corelations among Executive Leadership behaviors, the digital ratio (2nd:4th) and the concept of internal Locus of Control. The digit ratio is defined as the division of the length of 2nd finger (index finger) by the length of 4th finger (ring finger). Such study aimed at providing additional subsidies for adopting a biosocial model to understanding leadership. A group of 169 male students enrolled in a postgraduation program was selected as participants. They answered an Executive Leadership behaviors self assessment questionnaire (self perception). The questionnaire was based on the Inventário Fatorial de Personalidade - IFP. The subjects were grouped based on their questionnaire\'s scores: (1) low self perception of leadership (BPL), (2) average self perception of leadership (MPL) e (3) high self perception of leadership (APL). Through statistic analysis the 10 most characteristic participants of each of the three groups were selected. These 30 participants were submitted to collection and analysis of saliva testosterone concentration level, using the kit provided by Salimetrics Inc (catalog nº 1-2412). On top of that, their index and ring fingers´s length was measured, as means to obtain data to calculate the digital ratio. The Rotter Scale was used to assess the Locus of Control (LoC). The main hypothesis - the three groups would differ with regards to the concentration of testosterone found in their saliva - was statistically confirmed, therefore there is direct positive relationship between self perception of leadership and concentration of T in the saliva. The hypothesis of inverse relationship between self perception of leadership and Digit Ratio was not confirmed. The research data also did not confirm relationship between internal Locus of Control and self perception of leadership. The results obtained through the research offer an important contribution for future studies of integrated biosocial leadership models.

This study investigated the possible differential effects of a series of soluble discrimination problems on internal versus external locus of control subjects. It was hypothesized that externals exposed to a series of discrimination problems would perform better on a test task than external controls, while internals exposed to the same problems would not perform better on the test task relative to their controls. As anticipated, the internals were not affected by the discrimination problems. However, contrary to expectations, the externals were not facilitated by exposure to the soluble problems. Since many external subjects failed to solve all of the soluble problems, a facilitative effect may depend upon the problems being solved.

Pautada no modelo médico, a Psicologia tem direcionado seus esforços científicos muito mais para o estudo dos aspectos disfuncionais do indivíduo do que para suas potencialidades. Isso gerou um desequilíbrio no campo de estudos dessa ciência que, ao focalizar sua atenção quase que exclusivamente nos problemas humanos, acabou por deixar que temas, como a Felicidade, fossem apropriados pela chamada literatura de auto-ajuda. A partir do referencial teórico da Psicologia Positiva, este estudo busca compreender a felicidade humana a partir de uma abordagem científica, o que julgamos fundamental para a construção de um corpo teórico consistente sobre o tema e capaz de auxiliar no desenvolvimento de programas de saúde mental de caráter preventivo. Sendo assim, investigamos a relação entre felicidade e lócus de controle numa amostra de 106 sujeitos universitários utilizando-nos, para tanto da Correlação de Spearman e do Teste de Kruskal-Wallis. Os resultados indicaram que quanto maior o lócus de controle interno dos sujeitos pesquisados, maior também seus níveis de felicidade. / Developed around the medical model, Psychology has directed its scientific efforts principally toward the study of the dysfunctional aspects of human behavior rather than toward the potential of the individual. This has created a disequilibrium in the field of study of this science which by focusing its attention almost exclusively on human problems has relegated themes such as Happiness to the so-called self-help literature. Based on the theoretical reference of Positive Psychology, this study seeks to understand Human Happiness from a scientific point of view. We judge this approach fundamental to the construction of a body of theory consistent with the theme and capable of helping in the development of preventive mental health programs. Therefore, we research the relationship between happiness and control "locus" in a sample of 106 university students, using the Spearman Correlation and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results indicate that the greater the internal control locus of the individuals studied, the greater their level of personal happiness.

Forty-nine Cache Valley residents, between the ages of 18 and 45, who volunteered to participate in an assertion training class were assigned to one of seven groups. Subjects were administered pre- and posttests and a two month follow-up evaluation. Measures included Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, the Rathus Assertive Scale, and the Berger Self-Acceptance Scale. The results obtained indicate that self-acceptance and assertiveness changed as a result of assertion training and that these changes were maintained at follow-up. No difference between internals and externals was observed as a result of semi-structured assertion training.

The objective of this research study is to attempt to determine whether the realities or life-stories that successful' employees construct with input from both their cultures of origin (external culture) and the organisational (internal) culture impact on their state of motivation in the workplace. This mini-dissertation is approached from both a theoretical and practical point of view. Related theories and perspectives are explored in an attempt to arrive at an understanding of the philosophy pertaining to construction of reality and motivation in the workplace. Individual narrative discussions were conducted with successful employees, also referred to as respondents, in the research and development division of a South African target industry in an effort to determine whether internal and/or external locus of control impacted on construction of reality and subsequently on work-related motivation. The results from a motivation questionnaire were also incorporated in the research study in order to try to determine whether it supported the findings from the narrative discussions. It can be concluded from this study that successful employees are mostly also motivated employees and that both their cultures of origin and the organisational culture impact on their construction of reality regarding motivation in the workplace. Furthermore, this explanation revealed that an employee's construction of reality definitely impacts on his3 motivation. It is also evident from this research study that these employees have an internal and/or external locus of control. It seemed insignificant whether the respondents were motivated by internal or external factors, but what distinguished them from the other employees were the finding that they were in fact motivated by some or other factor. This study confirmed that different motivational factors impact on different employees as a result of their uniquely constructed realities regarding work-related motivation and success. The challenge for organisations therefore lies in determining which specific, culturally determined internal and/or external factors motivate individual employees. This will enable them to instigate, sustain or increase the motivation of their employees. / Thesis (M.A. (Sociology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.