It was concluded that there seems to be a preference among intermediate level gifted/talented students for those instructional methods emphasizing independence, while students of the general population seem to prefer instructional methods with somewhat more structure. (Author)

Forty fourth, fifth, and sixth graders were subjects of a study to investigate changes in locus of control orientations resulting from training in self-regulating procedures. Both external and self-regulating procedures were effective in increasing internal expectancies. Self- regulating procedures decreased disruptive behaviors and, to an extent,…

Several investigators have proposed that locus of control has a significant effect on several aspects of classroom behavior. Horak (1979) found that children with a high self-concept tended to be internally controlled, whereas children with a low self-concept tended to be externally controlled. The present investigation sought to further examine…

Persistence at learning digit spans and goal setting was measured in 20 internal locus of control boys and 20 external locus of control boys from a sixth grade rural low SES sample. (BRT)

Investigated measurement characteristics of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scales when the scales are used with elementary school children. The MHLC scales were administered to 876 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Results from four analyses of data strongly support the reliability and factorial validity of the revised MHLC…

Investigates the relationship of locus-of-control orientation and task structure to the science problem-solving performance of 100 same-sex, sixth-grade student pairs. Some overall conclusions were that there was no relationship between locus-of-control orientation and effectiveness of problem-solving strategy. Internality was significantly…

This study was designed to investigate the influence of television on the lives of young people and the correlation between home computer programming, the playing of video games at home, and the playing of arcade games out of the home related to self-esteem and locus of control. Subjects were 405 students in grades 4 through 12 from 21 classrooms…

Improvement in self-concept may facilitate improvement in other areas such as learning and achievement. If the self-concept is formed through experiences with the environment, interactions with significant others, and attributions of one's own behavior, then the classroom atmosphere may be influential in the development of a positive or negative…

Studied the effectiveness of sociodramatic goal-oriented role play and non-goal-oriented role play on locus of control in Black fifth-grade students (N=53). Results showed that internal locus of control significantly increased for the students who participated in the sociodramatic goal-oriented role play. (LLL)

A study investigated the relationship between locus of control and intrinsically motivated reading for children. The entire sixth grade, totalling 53 students, of a parochial school in San Francisco was administered the Children's Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale. A free-choice paperback reading rack provided the measure for…

People's beliefs about the origins of their health, sometimes referred to as health locus of control, have been shown to influence a variety of important behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the structure of the health locus of control beliefs of children, using the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales. Two samples of…

When temperament, self-concept, and locus of control were compared among learning-disabled (N=38) third- through sixth- graders and matched peers, a multivariate difference was demonstrated with specific univariate effects in task orientation and social flexibility, partially supporting the characterization of learning-disabled students as…

Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade learning disabled, gifted, and normal students (N=213) were compared for their conceptualizations, attributions, and attitudes about school grading practices. Significant differences were found in ability to define grading systems and tendencies to perceive the causes for getting good grades as internal and…

The interrelationships among motivational variables drawn from locus of control (LOC) theory and attribution theory, combined with measures of school achievement were measures of school achievement were investigated. Motivational instruments were administered to intermediate grade students and achievement data were extracted from existing school…

People's beliefs about the origins of their health, sometimes referred to as health locus of control, have been shown to influence a variety of important behaviors, including the propensity to engage in effective health maintenance activities, and the willingness to seek and follow medical advice. The purpose of this study was to explore the…