Spheres of Control Scale – SOCS
Measures an individual's perceived control over personal and interpersonal domains of life.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Spheres of Control Scale – SOCS was developed by Delroy L. Paulhus (1983). It is designed to measure Locus of Control. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Personal Control, Interpersonal Control.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Control | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 | 10 |
| Interpersonal Control | 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 | 10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = slightly disagree, 4 = neither agree nor disagree, 5 = slightly agree, 6 = agree, 7 = strongly agree.
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 10 to 70. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low perceived control: 10 – 30
- Moderate perceived control: 31 – 50
- High perceived control: 51 – 70
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.