Locus of control is a self-evaluation that refers to the degree to which individuals characterize the influences in their lives or perceive that outcomes result from their own behaviors. Individuals who develop an internal locus of control believe that success or failure is a result of their own actions and efforts. Whereas, individuals who have an external locus of control believe that success or failure is a result of outside factors or external forces such as luck or fate. The documentary Stress: Portrait of a killer by Heminway et al. (2008) states that individuals social standing in society can make him/her less or more susceptible to stress. As a result, stress can allow an individual to relinquish a little bit of control (Heminway et
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For example, the documentary Stress: Portrait of a killer by Heminway et al. (2008) highlights that a huge component of stress is lack of control and lack of predictability. This goes to show that stress is one factor in society that can cause individuals to lose control and feel that things in life are due to fate and luck. Stress may cause a person to exhibit a strong external locus of control in that the person may have views such as “if something is meant to happen, it will; there is little you can do to change it and life is like a game of chance. What you get or what happens to you is mostly a matter of fate.” However, Glanz & Viswanath (2015) depicts that “social support is beneficial, because [other people can] provide us with the resources to avoid or reduce our exposure to some types of stressors” (p. 188). Glanz & Viswanath (2015) further went on by saying social support may impact cognitive processes, and as a result we are less likely to construe a situation as threatening. In addition, social support can encourage active coping, which can allow individuals to make cognizant decisions that minimalize exposure to stress” (Glanz & Viswanath,
For example, the documentary Stress: Portrait of a killer by Heminway et al. (2008) highlights that a huge component of stress is lack of control and lack of predictability. This goes to show that stress is one factor in society that can cause individuals to lose control and feel that things in life are due to fate and luck. Stress may cause a person to exhibit a strong external locus of control in that the person may have views such as “if something is meant to happen, it will; there is little you can do to change it and life is like a game of chance. What you get or what happens to you is mostly a matter of fate.” However, Glanz & Viswanath (2015) depicts that “social support is beneficial, because [other people can] provide us with the resources to avoid or reduce our exposure to some types of stressors” (p. 188). Glanz & Viswanath (2015) further went on by saying social support may impact cognitive processes, and as a result we are less likely to construe a situation as threatening. In addition, social support can encourage active coping, which can allow individuals to make cognizant decisions that minimalize exposure to stress” (Glanz & Viswanath,