Locus of control and law knowledge: a comparison of normal, retarded and learning disabled adolescents

Individualization of instruction of mentally handicapped adolescents may be facilitated by understanding of relevant variables associated with the learning skills required for coping with community life. This study explores the relationship between knowledge of such skills and locus of control (belief concerning the relative contribution of chance or others to outcomes and events which follow one's behavior). Comparisons of scores of 94 high school students on the Bialer-Cromwell Locus of Control Scale and a test of knowledge of law about such matters as credit, theft, and marriage, indicated that: (1) High school students in standard and college preparatory programs were more likely to see outcomes as determined by their own behaviors than were retarded and learning disabled students; (2) High school students in standard and college preparatory programs were better informed about legal matters crucial to community life than were mentally retarded and learning disabled students; (3) Mentally retarded and learning disabled students did not differ in law knowledge or on locus of control; (4) Locus of control was not directly related to IQ within the retarded-learning disabled group; (5) A moderate positive correlation was found between locus of control and law knowledge for the total group. Findings support Rotter's social learning theory. These findings also suggest that educators may need to provide more direct and specific training in critical aspects of layman's law for most retarded and learning disabled adolescents, as well as for average students who manifest external locus of control beliefs.