Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale [LOCOBS-17]

Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale

Description

The Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LOCOBS-17 / AQ-17) is an assessment instrument designed to examine individuals’ perceptions regarding the control and causes of their behavior.

The scale consists of 17 items and focuses on whether individuals believe that their own actions influence the consequences they experience or whether they attribute these consequences primarily to external factors.

Through this approach, the scale addresses aspects related to personal responsibility, autonomy, and perceived control over behavior.

The broader concept of locus of control concerns individuals’ beliefs about the extent to which outcomes are influenced by their own actions or by factors outside their personal control. Within the LOCOBS-17, this perspective is specifically applied to perceptions concerning behavior and its consequences.

Theoretical Background

The Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale is situated within the broader theoretical framework of locus of control.

A central distinction within this framework concerns whether control is perceived as originating primarily from internal or external factors.

An internal orientation reflects the perception that personal actions, choices, and behaviors can influence outcomes.

In contrast, a more external orientation reflects a tendency to attribute outcomes to circumstances or influences that are perceived as being beyond direct personal control.

Within the LOCOBS-17, particular emphasis is placed on how these beliefs relate to personal behavior, responsibility, and autonomy.

Objective

The primary objective of the LOCOBS-17 is to examine how individuals perceive their personal responsibility and control over their behavior and, more broadly, over aspects of their lives.

The assessment can contribute to a better understanding of individuals’ perceptions concerning:

personal responsibility,

autonomy,

the ability to influence outcomes through behavior,

and the influence of external factors on behavioral consequences.

According to the available source material, assessment of these perceptions may also contribute to greater self-awareness and help identify areas that may warrant further investigation or intervention.

Scale Structure

The LOCOBS-17 consists of 17 items.

The items are designed to capture individuals’ perceptions regarding the extent to which their own behavior and actions influence the consequences they experience.

They also address the extent to which outcomes may be attributed to external factors and examine the individual’s relationship with concepts such as personal responsibility and autonomy.

The available source does not provide the individual 17 items or identify specific subscales. Consequently, the structure of the instrument should not be described in greater detail without reference to the complete version of the scale.

Scoring

According to the available document, participants respond to the items using a Likert-type scale.

The source states that higher scores indicate a greater sense of control.

Accordingly, higher scores may be interpreted as reflecting a stronger perception of personal control over behavior and its consequences, consistent with the description provided in the source.

However, the available document does not specify the number of Likert response categories, the theoretical range of the total score, the presence of reverse-scored items, or specific cut-off values.

The precise calculation of scores should therefore follow the official scoring instructions for the particular version of the instrument being administered.

Data Analysis and Use

Data obtained from the LOCOBS-17 can be analyzed using different statistical procedures depending on the objectives and design of the study.

Descriptive Statistics: Means and standard deviations can be calculated to describe the general level of perceived behavioral control within the study population.

Reliability Analysis: Internal consistency may be examined using appropriate reliability indices, such as Cronbach’s alpha.

Correlation Analysis: Scale scores may be examined in relation to other variables, including demographic characteristics and psychological factors.

Comparative Analysis: Scores may be compared across different groups, such as individuals with different educational or demographic characteristics, when such comparisons are relevant to the research design.

Psychometric Analysis: In validation or adaptation studies, the reliability, validity, and structure of the scale may be evaluated within the population under investigation.

Calibration and Psychometric Evaluation

According to the source material, calibration of the Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale involves procedures designed to evaluate and adapt the instrument for use across different populations.

Cross-Cultural Studies: Administration in different cultural settings can be used to examine the appropriateness and accuracy of the scale across populations.

Reliability Analysis: Internal consistency may be assessed using measures such as Cronbach’s alpha to determine the consistency of responses across the items.

Validity Testing: Validity assessment examines the extent to which the scale adequately represents participants’ perceptions and experiences regarding control.

The available source does not provide specific numerical reliability or validity coefficients for the LOCOBS-17. Such values should therefore not be attributed to this version without additional primary evidence.

Interpretation of Results

Interpretation of LOCOBS-17 results focuses on the extent to which individuals perceive themselves as having control over their behavior and its consequences.

According to the available source, higher scores indicate a greater sense of control.

Scores may therefore be useful for examining individual differences in perceptions of personal responsibility, autonomy, and behavioral control.

Interpretation should nevertheless be based on the scoring system of the particular version administered and should take into account the characteristics of the study population.

In the absence of documented cut-off scores in the available material, participants should not be arbitrarily classified into universal “low” or “high” control categories.

Applications

The Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale [LOCOBS-17] can be used in research examining individuals’ perceptions of personal control, responsibility, and autonomy.

It may also be applied to investigate relationships between perceived behavioral control and demographic, social, or psychological variables.

The instrument can contribute to the examination of individual or group differences in how people perceive their ability to influence their behavior and its consequences.

When the scale is applied across different cultural or linguistic populations, appropriate adaptation procedures and evaluation of its psychometric characteristics are important.

Conclusions

The Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale [LOCOBS-17 / AQ-17] is a 17-item assessment instrument focusing on individuals’ perceptions regarding control over their behavior and the causes of its consequences.

The scale addresses the relationship between personal control, responsibility, autonomy, and external influences, providing a framework for examining individual differences in beliefs about the role of personal actions.

Its use may support research investigating perceived control and its relationships with other psychological, demographic, or social variables.

When applying the LOCOBS-17, the scoring procedures of the specific version should be followed, and its reliability and validity should be evaluated within the relevant population and research context.

References

Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80(1), 1–28.

Spector, P. E. (1988). Development of the Work Locus of Control Scale. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 61(4), 335–340.

Lefcourt, H. M. (1981). Locus of Control: Current Trends in Theory and Research. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.