An Examination of the Relationship Between Locus of Control and the Interpersonal Problem-Solving Ability of Means-Ends Thinking
Blue, Margaret Aurell
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/68987
Description
Title
An Examination of the Relationship Between Locus of Control and the Interpersonal Problem-Solving Ability of Means-Ends Thinking
Author(s)
Blue, Margaret Aurell
Issue Date
1985
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Educational Psychology
Abstract
Rotter's Internal-External (I-E) Scale and Platt and Spivack's Means-Ends Problem-Solving (MEPS) procedure were administered to two sample groups of undergraduate students at Gonzaga University located in Spokane, Washington during the fall of 1984 and the spring of 1985 to determine if a significant relationship existed between locus of control orientation and interpersonal problem-solving ability. One sample contained 198 undergraduate students from eleven class groups selected randomly by a cluster sample method. The other sample group contained 37 students attending the university counseling center who volunteered to participate. The statistical treatment consisted of utilizing the Pearson r correlation and t-tests for assessing significant differences. Significance was to be judged at the .05 level or better. Independent raters were trained to score the MEPS procedure and the inter-rater correlations were all highly significant. The results found no significant correlation between scores obtained on the I-E Scale and the MEPS procedure for both groups. As hypothesized subjects from the counseling center did receive significantly more external scores on the I-E Scale when compared to the general sample. There were no significant differences reported between the two groups in regard to MEPS scores. The results also found no differences between males and females in regard to locus of control orientation as hypothesized but significant differences were found for gender on the MEPS scores contrary to expectations. Females compared to males were significantly more effective problem solvers with the MEPS interpersonal situations.
The factors of age, academic major, year enrolled in, ethnic background, and citizenship had no effect on I-E scores, but year enrolled in, and citizenship factors were found to be significantly related to MEPS scores. In this study males were not as effective as females in interpersonal problem solving, counseling center clients exhibited a greater belief in external locus of control, and cultural differences seem to be reflected in the lower scores received on the MEPS by non-citizens. Further investigations are needed to determine more clearly the relationship of locus of control orientation and the MEPS procedure.
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