General Causality Orientations Scale – GCOS

Situation: You have been offered a new position in a company where you have worked for some time. Response: What if I can't live up to the new responsibility?

Situation: You have been offered a new position in a company where you have worked for some time. Response: Will I make more at this position?

Situation: You have been offered a new position in a company where you have worked for some time. Response: I wonder if the new work will be interesting.

Situation: You have a school-age daughter. On parents' night the teacher tells you that your daughter is doing poorly and doesn't seem involved in the work. Response: Talk it over with your daughter to understand further what the problem is.

Situation: You have a school-age daughter. On parents' night the teacher tells you that your daughter is doing poorly and doesn't seem involved in the work. Response: Scold her and hope she does better.

Situation: You have a school-age daughter. On parents' night the teacher tells you that your daughter is doing poorly and doesn't seem involved in the work. Response: Make sure she does the assignments, because she should be working harder.

Situation: You had a job interview several weeks ago. In the mail you received a form letter which states that the position has been filled. Response: It's not what you know, but who you know.

Situation: You had a job interview several weeks ago. In the mail you received a form letter which states that the position has been filled. Response: I'm probably not good enough for the job.

Situation: You had a job interview several weeks ago. In the mail you received a form letter which states that the position has been filled. Response: Somehow they didn't see my qualifications as matching their needs.

Situation: You are a plant supervisor and have been charged with the task of allotting coffee breaks to three workers who cannot all break at once. Response: Telling the three workers the situation and having them work with you on the schedule.

Situation: You are a plant supervisor and have been charged with the task of allotting coffee breaks to three workers who cannot all break at once. Response: Simply assigning times that each can break to avoid any problems.

Situation: You are a plant supervisor and have been charged with the task of allotting coffee breaks to three workers who cannot all break at once. Response: Find out from someone in authority what to do or do what was done in the past.

Situation: A close (same-sex) friend of yours has been moody lately, and a couple of times has become very angry with you over 'nothing.' Response: Share your observations with him/her and try to find out what is going on for him/her.

Situation: A close (same-sex) friend of yours has been moody lately, and a couple of times has become very angry with you over 'nothing.' Response: Ignore it because there's not much you can do about it anyway.

Situation: A close (same-sex) friend of yours has been moody lately, and a couple of times has become very angry with you over 'nothing.' Response: Tell him/her that you're willing to spend time together if and only if he/she makes more effort to control him/herself.

Situation: You have just received the results of a test you took, and you discovered that you did very poorly. Response: 'I can't do anything right,' and feel sad.

Situation: You have just received the results of a test you took, and you discovered that you did very poorly. Response: 'I wonder how it is I did so poorly,' and feel disappointed.

Situation: You have just received the results of a test you took, and you discovered that you did very poorly. Response: 'That stupid test doesn't show anything,' and feel angry.

Situation: You have been invited to a large party where you know very few people. Response: You'll try to fit in with whatever is happening in order to have a good time and not look bad.

Situation: You have been invited to a large party where you know very few people. Response: You'll find some people with whom you can relate.

Situation: You have been invited to a large party where you know very few people. Response: You'll probably feel somewhat isolated and unnoticed.

Situation: You are asked to plan a picnic for yourself and your fellow employees. Response: Take charge: that is, you would make most of the major decisions yourself.

Situation: You are asked to plan a picnic for yourself and your fellow employees. Response: Follow precedent: you're not really up to the task so you'd do it the way it's been done before.

Situation: You are asked to plan a picnic for yourself and your fellow employees. Response: Seek participation: get inputs from others who want to make them before you make the final plans.

Situation: Recently a position opened up at your place of work that could have meant a promotion for you. However, a person you work with was offered the job rather than you. Response: You didn't really expect the job; you frequently get passed over.

Situation: Recently a position opened up at your place of work that could have meant a promotion for you. However, a person you work with was offered the job rather than you. Response: The other person probably 'did the right things' politically to get the job.

Situation: Recently a position opened up at your place of work that could have meant a promotion for you. However, a person you work with was offered the job rather than you. Response: You would probably take a look at factors in your own performance that led you to be passed over.

Situation: You are embarking on a new career. Response: Whether you can do the work without getting in over your head.

Situation: You are embarking on a new career. Response: How interested you are in that kind of work.

Situation: You are embarking on a new career. Response: Whether there are good possibilities for advancement.

Situation: A woman who works for you has generally done an adequate job. However, for the past two weeks her work has not been up to par and she appears to be less actively interested in her work. Response: Tell her that her work is below what is expected and that she should start working harder.

Situation: A woman who works for you has generally done an adequate job. However, for the past two weeks her work has not been up to par and she appears to be less actively interested in her work. Response: Ask her about the problem and let her know you are available to help work it out.

Situation: A woman who works for you has generally done an adequate job. However, for the past two weeks her work has not been up to par and she appears to be less actively interested in her work. Response: It's hard to know what to do to get her straightened out.

Situation: Your company has promoted you to a position in a city far from your present location. Response: Feel interested in the new challenge and a little nervous at the same time.

Situation: Your company has promoted you to a position in a city far from your present location. Response: Feel excited about the higher status and salary that is involved.

Situation: Your company has promoted you to a position in a city far from your present location. Response: Feel stressed and anxious about the upcoming changes.