Effect of Gender, Age, Grade Level, Subjects, and Family Income on the Locus of Control of Secondary School Students

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of different variables on the locus of control of secondary school students. About 520 students participated in the study. Brown Locus of Control Scale (BLOCS) was used to assess the internal, external social, and external other loci of control of students. The t-test and ANOVA were applied to find out the difference in locus of control of students of different gender, age, grade level, subjects, and family income. Results revealed that "external social" and "external other" loci of control of female students were significantly higher than the male students. "External other" locus of control of younger age group (12-to-14-year) and lower grade level (9th) students was significantly higher than the students of older age groups (16-to-17 and 18-to-19-year-old) and higher grade level (10th) students. "Internality" and "other externality" of arts group students were significantly higher than the science group students. Family income was found to have significant effect on "external social" locus of control. However, the effect was not decisive as "social externality" of students of only one low-income group was significantly higher than the students of a high family income group.