One aspect of personality, perceptions of internal versus external control of reinforcement, shifts under conditions of change. This review of the literature examines the relationship between planned organizational change and locus of control. The review includes literature from the disciplines of clinical and social psychology, adult development,…

There is increasing acceptance of the premise that growth and development continue throughout adult life and, as life expectancy has lengthened, there is a much expanded mid-life period. Yet, middle adulthood has been neglected as an area of theoretical and empirical examination. Adults (N=251) in middle adulthood (age 35-55) completed instruments…

The fulfillment of the need for intimacy is believed to be central to adult life satisfaction, particularly in young adulthood. To explore the development of intimacy in women and to assess the relationships among intimacy status, locus of control, and self-disclosure, 97 college women with an average age of 30 were placed into 1 of 5 intimacy…

Variables of self-esteem, locus of control, stimulus appraisal, and depressive symptoms, which are related to depression in adults, were investigated in a sample of nonreferred Grade 5 and Grade 6 children. Grade and sex effects were not significant. All other intervariable correlations were significant. (Author)

This study hypothisized that when a person perceives his social network as constricted, and this constriction has been a "conscious" decision by that individual, then he or she should express little death anxiety. Subjects were 38 individuals who were at least age 60. Of these, 18 were members of the Gray Panthers (with expanding numbers of social…

This exploratory, cross-sectional study examined the impact of independent variables on the adult development cycle of 33 African-American professionals. Shifts in locus of control and life themes and the impact of racism on locus of control were focuses of the inquiry. Implications for diagnosis and intervention are discussed. (SLD)

Male and female adults revise their perceptions of control three times in their lives, between the ages of 20 and 65. To investigate the relationship between experienced control in terms of loci of control (internal, external), situations (opposite sex, same sex), and direction (from or over the environment), and the developmental stages of men…

Control over self, lifestyle, and environment is a major factor in how one ages. To investigate how age acts as an environmental force in affecting perceptions of control, 45 adults, aged 60-80, from western Kansas were administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), the Tiffany Experienced Control Scales (ECS), the Minnesota…

The major purpose of the present study was to examine empirically the independent and interactive effects of the situational event of retirement and cumulative influences attributed to the impact of satisfaction with noted life events upon locus of control (LOC). Ss included males over 55 years who had participated in a national survey. Variables…

This research project investigates the relationships between age and life satisfaction, self-concept, and locus of control among the aged. The predictions were based in large part on Erickson's adult development theory, and attempts were made to isolate the effects of age from other possible factors such as cohort and environment. The findings…

Sixty doctoral students aged 37-48 completed the Sentence Completion Test and a personal orientation inventory. Results indicated that they experienced significant personal growth and greater intrinsic locus of control at schools with nonauthoritarian environments emphasizing support, trust, respect, and self-directed learning. Exposure to a level…

Suggests that the established life history approach to the study of aging has been reformulated to include the macrostructural and cultural context. Demonstrates the utility of some core concepts in social phenomenology and ethnomethodology, particularly Schutz's concept of biographical work, for developing this new conception of the self.…

Examined the effects of social age status and gender on perception of control of work, home, and school situations. Adults perceived the greatest control through the ability to influence powerful others. Adult females perceived greater influence than adolescent or retired females but the same as males of any age. (Author/JA)

Much evidence has indicated that personal networks with family, friends, and community members can enhance health and improve psychological adjustment. Personal networks provide elderly persons in particular with companionship, practical help, and useful advice. The ecological models proposed by Bronfenbrenner (1979) portrays the social networks…

This study examined differences and similarities between male and female patterns of adult development by comparing equivalent male and female subject groups with regard to psychological well-being, locus of control, and job satisfaction. Subjects were 74 male and 81 female elementary and secondary school teachers who were either between the ages…