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 within the study were constructed from individual items within the survey which were transformed into separate scales. Multiple regression analyses indicated that satisfaction as a cumulative measure of past success and failure experiences significantly related to LOC. That is, the satisfaction construct accounted for about 15% of the variance within the LOC scores. Alternatively, retirement status was found to contribute only a minimal amount of variance, with the preretired group being slightly more internal than the transitional and retired groups. (Author)