Masters of Fate or Victims of Circumstances? Connecting Communication Centers with Locus of Control - Research paper

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore

Longstanding research links locus of control (LOC)—internal self-empowerment versus external influence by others—to self-motivation, persistence, academic achievement, and workplace success. Two studies examine how LOC orientations appear in higher education communication centers: a teacher locus of control measure for peer tutors, and a qualitative consultation-focused survey for supervisors and tutors. Results show supervisors lean more external than tutors, race relates to LOC patterns, and communication center staff must manage tensions along the internal–external continuum.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Literature Review

Locus of Control as a Core Psychological Construct

Internal LOC and Academic Outcomes

High External LOC, Learned Helplessness, and Entitlement

Continuum Perspective and Setting-Specific Responsibility

Masters of Fate or Victims of Circumstances? Connecting Communication Centers with Locus of Control Roy Schwartzman University of North Carolina at Greensboro Karen E. Boger University of Southern Mississippi Abstract Longstanding research correlates locus of control (LOC)—the sense of selfempowerment (internal orientation) versus feeling influenced by events others control (external orientation)—with self-motivation, persistence, high academic achievement, and workplace success. In study 1, undergraduate peer tutors (n = 31) at a midsize, doctoral-granting, minorityserving university completed a variant of the teacher locus of control (TLOC) survey, which measures the degree of internal/external LOC orientation in educational settings. In study 2, communication center supervisors (n = 12) and undergraduate peer tutors (n = 13) from 14 institutions nationwide completed a qualitative survey describing how they approach consultations with student clientele. The studies found: (1) Supervisors exhibited slightly higher external LOC than peer tutors, indicating a keener sense of restrictions on their personal agency and deferring more to specific procedures as solutions to challenging situations. (2) Small but statistically significant correlations were found between a tutor’s self-identified race and LOC orientation. White tutors more readily attributed levels of achievement to the nature of the student (external LOC); nonwhite tutors treated achievement levels more as products of the consultation techniques (internal LOC) . (3) Qualitative data show that communication center personnel must balance the tensions between different LOC orientations, perhaps by ranging across the continuum from highly internal to highly external. Extensive research links locus of control (LOC)—the sense of selfempowerment (internal orientation) versus feeling influenced by events others control (external orientation)—with self-motivation, persistence, high academic achievement, resilience in the face of setbacks, and workplace success (Lefcourt, 2014) . Communication centers seem ideally positioned to develop a sense of selfdetermination in their staff and users. Specifically, communication centers that focus on developing oral communication competencies through student peer tutoring can provide tangible evidence that personalized instruction makes a positive difference as the students who use the center demonstrate more skillful communication. What factors or characteristics, however, equip student tutors (also known as consultants) and staff to believe they can instigate this productive change? This investigation examines how student tutorsand staff at communication centers in higher education approach the responsibilities of their positions: as events to which they react, as opportunities they create, or some combination thereof. After a brief review of the significant and diverse roles LOC plays in higher education, the focus will narrow to how LOC becomes operationalized in communication centers. Literature Review Initially developed and tested by Julian Rotter (1966), LOC has emerged and persisted as a fundamental psychological construct for thriving within and beyond academic environments. Half a century of educational research has consistently linked LOC to academic success in college, associating better performance with high internal LOC (Findley & Cooper, 1983; Useus, Harper, & Nichols, 2010) . Indeed, studies have linked internal LOC to a litany of desirable academic characteristics: selfdirected learning (Van Overwalle, Mervielde, & De Schuyter, 1995), realistic assessments of self (Hashaw, Hammond, & Rogers, 1990), better academic performance (Wilhite, 1990), and even improved physical well-being (Maddi, 2007) . In fact, LOC scores rival nationally standardized tests in their ability to predict student academic performance during the first year of college (Gifford, BricenoPerriott, & Mianzo, 2006). Astin (1984) noted t

FAQs

What does locus of control (LOC) mean in this research?

LOC refers to whether individuals view outcomes as stemming from their own agency (internal orientation) or from events others control (external orientation).

How do the two studies differ in method and participants?

Study 1 uses a teacher locus of control survey variant with undergraduate peer tutors. Study 2 uses a qualitative consultation survey with communication center supervisors and peer tutors across multiple institutions.

What relationships did the studies find involving supervisors, tutors, and LOC?

Supervisors showed slightly higher external LOC than peer tutors, and small but significant correlations emerged between tutors’ race and LOC orientation. Qualitative findings indicate staff must balance tensions across internal and external orientations when providing consultations.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore