Domain Specific Locus of Control among Black, Anglo, and Chicano Undergraduates

The present study examined the assumption that minority groups, especially blacks, have significantly higher external locus of control scores. A domain specific locus of control measure, Locus of Control in Three Achievement Domains (LOCITAD), was administered to 29 Black, 299 Anglo, and 12 Chicano undergraduates at two Southern state universities. Results indicated that (a) the black and Chicano Ss were significantly more internal than the Anglos with respect to success in intellectual activities; (b) there were no significant differences between groups in relation to physical activities; (c) the Anglo Ss were significantly more internal than either the Black or the Chicano Ss relative to social success; and (d) the Anglo Ss were significantly more internal than the Blacks who in turn were significantly more internal than the Chicano Ss with respect to social failures. The findings indicate that locus of control generalizations across domains and success-failure are inappropriate, and that assumptions drawn in light of earlier work in the field need to be re-examined.