Scale Overview
The Work Locus of Control Scale – WLCS was developed by Paul E. Spector (1988). It is designed to measure Work Locus of Control. The scale is intended for use with Working adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Disagree very much, 2 = Disagree moderately, 3 = Disagree slightly, 4 = Agree slightly, 5 = Agree moderately, 6 = Agree very much.
The scale includes 8 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 16 to 96. Interpretation guidelines:
- Internal Locus of Control: 16 – 48
- Intermediate Locus of Control: 49 – 63
- External Locus of Control: 64 – 96
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.80 – 0.85.
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.