Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

4-25-2025

Keywords

external control, goal achievement, personal control, personal beliefs, self-efficacy

Disciplines

Developmental Psychology

Abstract

Personal control refers to the degree to which an individual believes one is in control of his or her own life, as opposed to one’s circumstances being the result of factors outside of one’s control. An individual with high personal control has a stronger belief that he or she is able to produce desired outcomes within a designated domain. The beliefs themselves are broken down into two main constructs: external and internal control. Internal control emphasizes the responsibility of the individual and his or her actions on the outcome, while external control determines the outcome as being guided by an outside source or power, independent of personal choices and behavior. Whether or not individuals hold themselves and their behavior accountable for an outcome often determines whether or not the outcome is perceived to be positive or negative. Individuals higher in internal control tend to be more adaptive, more likely to take responsibility for areas of importance such as health and performance, and engage in behaviors targeted toward achieving goals.

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