The statements you just read pertain to the concept of locus of control. Locus of control is the degree to which people believe they can control events in their lives. These beliefs fall on a continuum from internal locus of control to external locus of control. Each of the statements in the Statement 1 column describes the beliefs of someone with a more internal locus of control. Each of the statements in the Statement 2 column describes the beliefs of someone with a more external locus of control. Did you choose more statements in column 1 or column 2?

Based on the content of the previous statements, which of the following is a correct description for an internal locus of control?

A. Believing the events in your life are under the control of a few, high-powered individuals

B. Believing the events in your life are under your personal control

C. Believing the events in your life are not under your personal control, but rather the result of chance or fate

D. Believing negative events to be under personal control, but positive events to be controlled by fate

When faced with a negative outcome, which of the following would most likely represent the response of a person with a more external locus of control?

A "I should have seen this coming. Next time I will make things happen differently."

B. "This is just going to keep happening. The universe is against me."

C. "I know things are bad right now, but I can make things turn around for the better."

"I am going to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Researchers have studied the relationship between locus of control and mental health and found that depending on where a person falls on the continuum, propensities for certain disorders change. In general, people with a high internal locus of control show resilience against developing depression. People with a high external locus of control, on the other hand, show increased susceptibility to depression. What aspect of having an external locus of control makes people more susceptible to depression?

A. An external locus of control makes people more likely to punish themselves for the misfortunes of others and accept blame that isn't theirs.

B. An external locus of control makes people feel that they lack the power to change their situation, which can breed a sense of hopelessness.

C. An external locus of control motivates people to seek out risky situations and engage in dangerous behaviors, which often have negative outcomes.