Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-5nwft Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-30T15:48:30.760Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Assessing Locus of Control of Reinforcement in Elderly People: Evaluation of the Desired Control Measure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Lynn E. Kelly ,
V. Jane Knox  and
William L. Gekoski
Lynn E. Kelly
Affiliation:
Queen's University
V. Jane Knox
Affiliation:
Queen's University
William L. Gekoski
Affiliation:
Queen's University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

To determine whether Reid and Ziegler's Desired Control Measure assesses locus of control of reinforcement 363 community-residing elderly individuals completed: (a) the Desired Control Measure (DCM); (b) Levenson's Internal (I), Powerful Other (PO), and Chance (C) Locus of Control Scales; (c) the Life Satisfaction Index – Form A; and (d) the Affect Balance Scale. Support for construing the DCM as an index of locus of control was not obtained: (a) DCM scores correlated only modestly with the I, PO, and C scales; (b) factor solutions indicated minimal item overlap on the two measures; and (c) regression analyses indicated that the DCM added substantially to the variance in adjustment measures accounted for by I, PO, and C. We conclude that the DCM does not primarily tap locus of control, and is more appropriately conceptualized as an index of individuals' perceptions/evaluations of their environment.

Résumé

Afin de déterminer si la mesure de contrôle désiré de Reid et Ziegler permet d'évaluer le lieu de contrôle du renforcement, 363 aînés habitant dans la communauté ont rempli: (a) la mesure de contrôle désiré (MCD); (b) les échelles de contrôle interne (I), de la puissance des autres (PA) et de hasard (H) de Levenson visant à déterminer le lieu de contrôle; (c) l'indice de satisfaction de la vie – formulaire A; et (d) l'échelle de l'équilibre affectif. Rien n'a démontré que la MCD constituait un indice du lieu de contrôle: (a) les résultats de la MCD ne correspondent que modestement aux échelles I, PA et H; (b) les solutions de facteurs révèlent un chevauchement minime des deux mesures; et (c) les analyses de régression indiquent que la MCD a considérablement élargi l'écart entre les mesures d'ajustement justifiées par les échelles I, PA et H. Nous concluons que la MCD ne touche pas principalement le lieu de contrôle, et qu'elle est davantage conceptualisée comme un indice permettant de déterminer chez les gens les perceptions et les évaluations de leur milieu.

Keywords

AgingLocus of ControlMeasurementVieillissementlieu de contrôlemesure
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , Automne/Fall 1994 , pp. 318 - 331
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abel, B.J., & Hayslip, B. (1986). Locus of control and attitudes toward work and retirement. The Journal of Psychology, 120, 479–488.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Abel, B.J., & Hayslip, B. (1987). Locus of control and retirement preparation. Journal of Gerontology, 42, 165–167.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Adams, D.L. (1969). Analysis of a life satisfaction index. Journal of Gerontology, 24, 470–474.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bradburn, N.M. (1969). Two dimensions of psychological well- being: Positive and negative affect. In Bradburn, N.M., The structure of psychological well-being. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Cattell, R.B. (1965). Factor analysis: An introduction to essentials. 1) The purpose and underlying models, 2) The role of factor analysis in research. Biometrics, 21, 405–435.Google Scholar
Cicirelli, V.G. (1987). Locus of control and patient role adjustment of the elderly in acute-care hospitals. Psychology and Aging, 2, 138–143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fawcett, G., Stornier, D., & Zepelin, H. (1980). Locus of control, perceived constraint, and morale among institutionalized aged. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 11, 13–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Felton, B., & Kahana, E. (1974). Adjustment and situationally-bound locus of control among institutionalized aged. Journal of Gerontology, 29, 295–301.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
George, L.K. (1978). The impact of personality and social status variables upon levels of activity and psychological well-being. Journal of Gerontology, 33, 840–847.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haas-Hawkings, G., Sangster, S., Ziegler, M., & Reid, D. (1986). A study of relatively immediate adjustment to widowhood in later life. International Journal of Women, 8, 158–166.Google Scholar
Hulicka, I.M., Morganti, J.B., & Cataldo, J.F. (1975). Perceived latitude of choice of institutionalized and noninstitutionalized elderly women. Experimental Aging Research, 1, 27–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kuypers, J.A. (1971). Internal-external locus of control and ego-functioning correlates in the elderly. Gerontologist, 12, 168–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lachman, M.E. (1986). Locus of control in aging research: A case for multidimensional and domain-specific assessment. Psychology and Aging, 1, 34–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Larson, R. (1978). Thirty years of research on the subjective well-being of older Americans. Journal of Gerontology, 33, 109–125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lefcourt, H.M. (1983). Introduction. In Lefcourt, H.M. (Ed.), Research with the locus of control construct: Vol. 2. Developments and social problems (pp. 1–5). Toronto: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Levenson, H. (1973). Multidimensional locus of control in psychiatric patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41, 397–404.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levenson, H. (1981). Differentiating among internauty, powerful others, and chance. In Lefcourt, H.M. (Ed.), Research with the locus of control construct: Vol. 1 (pp. 15–63). New York: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mullins, L.C. (1982). Locus of desired control and patient role among the institutionalized elderly. The Journal of Social Psychology, 116, 269–276.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neugarten, B., Havighurst, R., & Tobin, S. (1961). The measurement of life satisfaction. Journal of Gerontology, 16, 134–141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palmore, E., & Luikart, C. (1972). Health and social factors related to life satisfaction. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 13, 68–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pfeiffer, E. (Ed.). (1975). Multidimensional functional assessment: The OARS methodology. Durham, NC: Duke University, Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development.Google Scholar
Reid, D.W., Haas, G., & Hawkings, D. (1977). Locus of desired control and positive self-concept of the elderly. Journal of Gerontology, 32, 441–450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reid, D.W., & Ziegler, M. (1977). A survey of the reinforcements and activities elderly citizens feel are important for their general happiness. Essence, 2, 5–24.Google Scholar
Reid, D.W., & Ziegler, M. (1980). Validity and stability of a new desired control measure pertaining to psychological adjustment of the elderly. Journal of Gerontology, 35, 395–402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reid, D.W., & Ziegler, M. (1981). The Desired Control Measure and adjustment among the elderly. In Lefcourt, H.M. (Ed.), Research with the locus of control construct: Vol. 1 (pp. 127–159). New York: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodin, J., Timko, C., & Harris, S. (1985). The construct of control: Biological and psychological correlates. In Lawton, M.P. & Maddox, G.L. (Eds.), Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics (Vol. 5, pp. 3–55). New York: Springer Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Rotter, J.B. (1954). Social learning and clinical psychology. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rotter, J.B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80 (Whole No. 609).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ryckman, R.M., & Malikioski, M. (1975). Relationship between locus of control and chronological age. Psychological Reports, 36, 655–658.Google Scholar
Sauer, W.J., & Warland, R. (1982). Morale and life satisfaction. In Mangen, D.J. & Peterson, W.A. (Eds.), Research instruments in social gerontology: Vol. 1. Clinical and social psychology. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.Google Scholar
Wolk, S., & Kurtz, J. (1975). Positive adjustment and involvement during aging and expectancy for internal control. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 173–178.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ziegler, M. & Reid, D.W. (1979). Correlates of locus of desired control in two samples of elderly persons: Community residents and hospitalized patients. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47, 977–979.Google Scholar
Ziegler, M., & Reid, D.W. (1983). Correlates of changes in desired control scores and in life satisfaction scores among elderly persons. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 16, 135–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed