Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
The Belief in Personal Control Scale: a measure of God-Mediated and Exaggerated Control
1Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Denver, 80202, USA.
Abstract:
Combining and extending previous conceptions of the construct of perceived control, a self-report measure based on a proposed multidimensional model was developed and validated. The Belief in Personal Control Scale (BPCS), measures of locus of control, depression, mania, anxiety, self-esteem, and social desirability were administered to several samples. A factor analysis revealed three interpretable components of the control construct: a general External Control factor, an Exaggerated Internal Control factor, and a God-Mediated Control factor. The results of this article provide preliminary support for the model and for the BPCS as a multidimensional measure of perceived control with reliable and valid subscales. Consistent with the proposed model of control, the three factors correlated differentially with the various measures of psychological adjustment. Of particular interest is the positive correlation between the Exaggerated Internal Control factor and a measure of mania.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Regulation
Rotter's Locus of Control
Individuals with an internal locus of control believe that their personal efforts and decisions directly affect their...
Personal Choice and Fate Attributions
Locus of Control
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

