Locus of control and success in self-initiated attempts to stop smoking

Investigated the relationship between self-control behavior and individual differences on Rotter's I-E scale. Ss (N = 42) who were successful in self-initiated attempts to stop smoking showed a more internal locus of control than Ss who were either unsuccessful in their attempts to quit or who never attempted to quit smoking on their own. Further, it was found that Ss who succeeded in quitting were more likely to use abrupt smoking cessation techniques than those who failed in their attempts to quit smoking. The results of this study point out the importance of the locus of control orientation in designing self-control programs for the modification of smoking behavior.