The buddy system: mediator--target locus of control and behavioral outcome

The relative locus of control of mediator--target pairs was investigated within a contingency management program. As predicted, less improvement in target behaviors occurred for pairs in which the target scored lower in externality than the mediator. In addition, the greater externality of the mediator relative to the assigned target, the less improvement in target behavior (r=-.67). In contrast, improvement in target behavior bore no relationship with the locus of control scores of either mediators or targets correlated separately, nor with the differences between mediator--target locus of control scores within pairs in which the target scored equal to or higher in externality than the mediator.