Mindset and Locus of Control

The two theories of Locust of Control and Students Mindset are extremely
similar, though approached from different perspectives. Locus of Control (LoC),
Developed by Julian Rotter in 1966, is the theory that peoples perception of the
underlying causes of events in their lives can be measured. This measurement,
done on the I-E scale, has two opposing sides, Internal Locus of Control and External
Locus of Control. People who have an Internal Locus of Control believe that the
consequences of their action lies solely with themselves and that they can
proactively change their lives. External Locus of Control on the other hand means a
person believes that they have little to know control over their own life, and that
fate, luck and powerful others in the world are the deciding factors. This Locus of
Control tends to stem from a persons socio-economic status, cultural differences,
and their parents teaching style.
Where Locus of Control approached from a social learning perspective,
Mindset theory, developed by Carol Dweck, focuses of how a child learns. There are
two mindsets contained in this theory, Growth Mindset and Fixed Mindset. The
concept of a Growth Mindset is believing that you can develop your own intelligence
by rigorous study and the pursuit of new knowledge. These students then tend to
succeed by embracing challenges and persevering in the face of setbacks. People
with a Fixed Mindset tend to believe that each person only has a set amount of
Intelligence, and that if they see effort as the horrifying sign that they are not good
enough, leading them to often self-handicap and feel threatened by the success of
others.

When examined, these two theories are remarkably similar, with Internal
Locus of Control overlapping with a Growth Mindset and the External Locus of
Control with a Fixed Mindset. With the Internal LoC, a person believes that they can
actively change their life, just how with a Growth Mindset, a person sees effort as a
challenge, and actively strives to do better. On the other hand, a person with a Fixed
Mindset relies on wanting to be perceived as smart, and not on actually learning,
just as those with an External LoC tend to believe that their fate is not in their own
hands, but was predestined. These two groups also connect to the two teaching
systems found in the NPR article Struggle for Smarts, which compares the styles
found in American and Chinese schools. While this article does not mention Mindset
or Locus of Control theory, it is very much tied in with both. It explains that many
parents in the United States will always praise their children for their work, saying
that they are incredibly smart. Carol Dweck has theorized that this praise can then
lead a child to developing a Fixed Mindset. Chinese schools, on the other hand, tend
to reward perseverance and commitment over getting the right answer the fastest,
which is very indicative of the Growth Mindset.

When I took the Locus of Control survey I got a score of two, which sets me
very close to the Internal LoC terminus. While I had expected that I would get a
similar score, my thoughts at the end of the survey were more directed towards the
questions asked then about my score. The questions on they LoC survey had
annoyed me, such as on that asked whether you thought that people generally got
the respect they deserved or whether you thought they often went unrecognized. I
was immediately torn by having to compare respect to recognition, things which
often do not compare equally, and have to choose between two statements that I

thought were both right. Apart from my misgivings about some of the questions, I
thought that the survey went well, and I agreed with its findings. I have found that I
tend to have a much more pragmatic view of the world after going through several
years of leadership training in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. During this time, I
was able to take a hard look at myself, my strengths and my many weaknesses as
well. Here at Landmark College, I am also able to examine myself, such as my Locus
of Control, or what Mindset I have. While my LoC was pretty close to Internal on the
scale, my Mindset is noticeably different. While I prioritize the accumulation of new
knowledge, and I often go out of my way to research topic son my own to try to
further my interests, I also have a great fear of failure and being seen as
unintelligent which connects back to feelings of impostor ship and a more fixed
mindset. It is my hope that while at Landmark College, I will be able to change my
habits and promote a more Growth Mindset within myself.