Control orientation and the illusion of control

Tested the hypothesis that individuals with an external locus of control are sensitive to the occurrence of noncontingency and will not display the illusion of control. Internals, who view outcomes as response dependent, should succumb to the illusion. One hundred thirty-eight students were asked to judge the amount of control they had over the onset of a noncontingent green light in one of two conditions: 25% green light onset and 75% green light onset. Both internals and externals demonstrated the illusion of control: they rated themselves as having more control when they received a green light on 75% of the trials, despite the fact that green light onset was response independent. These findings suggest that externals are doubly impaired. Their bias toward perceived response-outcome independence is given up when it would be most helpful, that is, when environmental cues suggest control in an objectively uncontrollable situation.