The Sense of Control Scale

The Sense of Control Scale 14 has 12 items that measure a person’s sense of mastery over their outcomes (e.g., “Whether or not I am able to get what I want is in my own hands”) and perceptions of constraints on their behavior (e.g., “Other people determine most of what I can and cannot do”).

Content

Domains
Self Management
Subdomain

Self/Inhibitory Control, Mastery Orientation, Sense of Control

Grades
Post secondary
Languages
English
Respondent
Student

Administration Information

Length
<3 minutes
Administration
Paper

Access and Use

Contact

Corresponding Author:
Margie Lachman, Brandeis University
lachman@binah.cc.brandies.edu

Open Access
Yes
Use in Research

Duffy, R. D. (2010). Sense of control and career adaptability among undergraduate students. Journal of Career Assessment, 18(4), 420–430. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072710374587 

Kraus, M. W., Piff, P. K., & Keltner, D. (2009). Social class, sense of control, and social explanation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology97(6), 992. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016357

Lachman, M. E., & Weaver, S. L. (1998). The sense of control as a moderator of social class differences in health and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology74(3), 763–773. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1998-00299-016

Mittal, C., & Griskevicius, V. (2014). Sense of control under uncertainty depends on people’s childhood environment: A life history theory approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology107(4), 621. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037398

Soederberg Miller, L. M., & Lachman, M. E. (2000). Cognitive performance and the role of control beliefs in midlife. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition7(2), 69-85.  https://doi.org/10.1076/1382-5585(200006)7:2;1-U;FT069

Psychometrics

Scoring
Manual scoring
National Comparison
Yes
Item Type
Likert

Psychometric Considerations

Psychometrics is the science of psychological assessment. A primary goal of EdInstruments is to provide information on crucial psychometric topics including Validity and Reliability – essential concepts of evaluation, which indicate how well an instrument measures a construct - as well as additional properties that are worthy of consideration when selecting an instrument of measurement.

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