Locus of control in three behavioural domains: Factor structure and correlates of the "spheres of control" scale

The "Spheres of Control" (SOC) scale and the extraversion, neuroticism and lie scales from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) were administered to a large sample (N = 576) of male subjects in the age range 30-65 yr. The factor structure of the SOC was examined by testing the goodness-of-fit of a series of confirmatory factor models using LISREL. The results supported Paulhus' three-dimensional formulation of perceived control in the personal, interpersonal and socio-political behavioural domains, but the personal and interpersonal domains were found to be closely related. There was also evidence that the internally-worded SOC items discriminated the three domains of control more clearly than the externally-worded items; the latter showed high loadings on a general factor. The SOC scales showed only moderate reliabilities. Relations between the SOC and EPQ measures were examined by means of two canonical correlation analyses. These analyses demonstrated: (i) that SOC personal and interpersonal control scales were positively related to extraversion and negatively related to neuroticism, but control in the socio-political domain was not predicted by the Eysenck measures; and (ii) that the general-factor effects apparent in SOC responses were related to neuroticism and, to a lesser extent, to the lie scale. These results are discussed in relation to the rationale underlying the development of the SOC scale and other relevant literature.