Question 89

Joe's beliefs illustrate an external locus of control.

Joe’s beliefs demonstrate an external locus of control, which is characterized by the perception that external factors, such as the professor's dislike and the difficulty of earning a grade of A, dictate the outcomes of his efforts.

A) Self-serving bias

Self-serving bias refers to the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to oneself and negative outcomes to external factors. Joe’s beliefs do not reflect this bias; instead, he attributes his potential failure to external circumstances, namely his professor’s opinions.

B) An internal locus of control

An internal locus of control is the belief that one can influence outcomes through their own actions and decisions. Joe does not exhibit this belief; he feels that no matter how hard he studies, he cannot achieve his desired grade, indicating a lack of control over his academic success.

C) An external locus of control

An external locus of control is the belief that outcomes are determined by external forces rather than personal effort. Joe exemplifies this belief by attributing his struggles in philosophy to his professor’s bias and feeling powerless to change his grades despite his efforts.

D) The Barnum effect

The Barnum effect describes the tendency for individuals to see vague or general statements as personally meaningful. Joe's beliefs do not align with this phenomenon; rather, they are specific assertions about his academic performance and perceived external judgments.

E) The spacing effect

The spacing effect refers to the learning phenomenon where information is better retained when study sessions are spaced out over time. This concept does not apply to Joe's beliefs regarding his philosophy professor and his grades, as it is unrelated to his perception of control over his academic outcomes.

Conclusion

Joe's beliefs clearly illustrate an external locus of control, as he perceives external factors, such as his professor's opinions, as determinants of his academic success. In contrast, all other options do not accurately capture the essence of his beliefs, as they either describe internal mechanisms of attribution or unrelated psychological phenomena.