Personality
Locus of Control
How much you feel in control of what happens in your life.
About this test
Locus of control is whether you feel outcomes come mainly from your own actions (internal) or from luck, fate and powerful others (external). Higher scores mean a more internal locus of control. This is a self-report measure of a general tendency, not a clinical diagnosis; higher and lower scores simply describe where you tend to sit.
What your score means
| Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 20–46 | Lower range |
| 47–73 | Middle range |
| 74–100 | Higher range |
About this questionnaire
The LoC is a freely available screening questionnaire. We present it exactly as published and add a plain-language explanation of your result.
It is for education and self-reflection, not a diagnosis — a score is a snapshot, not a label. If your result worries you, talk to a qualified professional. See how we choose and check our tests and our editorial standards.
Further independent, authoritative sources on this topic:
Frequently asked questions
How is this scored?
Your 20 answers (each 1 to 5) are added up, with reverse-worded items flipped, for a total from 20 to 100. A higher score means more of the trait.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. It measures a normal psychological tendency, not a mental-health condition.
Can I use it for free?
Yes. The items come from the public-domain International Personality Item Pool, free to use for any purpose, including commercial, with the source credited.
Related screenings
Source: International Personality Item Pool (Goldberg, 1999) — public-domain proxy for Levenson, 1981. Free to use, copy and adapt for any purpose, including commercial, without permission (ipip.ori.org).