“The Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (RIELC): A Brief Overview”
The Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (RIELC) is a widely used psychological measure developed by Julian Rotter in 1966 to assess an individual’s perceived locus of control (LOC). The LOC refers to an individual’s perception of the control they have over their own lives and environments. Individuals who have an internal LOC believe that their lives are in their own control, while those with an external LOC believe that their lives are governed by outside forces. The RIELC is a 10-item scale that measures the degree to which an individual’s LOC is internal or external.
The RIELC is composed of five items that measure internal LOC (I-items) and five items that measure external LOC (E-items). Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Participants are asked to rate their agreement with each item according to how they perceive their own behavior. Responses are then summed to form an overall score for the internal and external LOC subscales.
The RIELC has been found to be a reliable and valid measure of LOC. Studies have shown that the RIELC is correlated with other measures of psychological adjustment, such as self-esteem and psychological well-being. Additionally, research has found that the internal and external subscales of the RIELC are moderately correlated, indicating that individuals who have higher scores on the internal subscale are likely to have lower scores on the external subscale.
Overall, the RIELC is a useful tool for assessing individual differences in LOC. It is relatively short and easy to administer, yet it provides a reliable and valid assessment of an individual’s LOC. The RIELC can be used to provide insight into an individual’s capacity to take control of their lives and make decisions, as well as their psychological adjustment in general.
References
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80(1), Whole No. 609.
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