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Age differences in locus of control and self-monitoring in China
F Li1
1Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Abstract:
Locus of control and self-monitoring were measured in three age groups in Changchun, northeastern China: 164 junior high school students (12-15 yr.), 121 college students (16-26 yr.), and 46 adults (29-57 yr.). Analysis indicated that adults and college students scored higher on locus of control (Ms = 10.0 and 9.2, scores indicating the number of external control beliefs affirmed) than high school students (M = 6.1) and that adults scored lower on self-monitoring (M = 8.7) than college and high school students (Ms = 11.6 and 10.6). Such differences seem attributable to the interaction between individual development and some societal factors that are believed to foster external control beliefs and propensity to self-monitoring.
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