Question

In a meeting, you hear Mary say, "Some things are just meant to be," and "The economic health of this country is largely beyond the control of the individual." You classify Mary as a person with an external locus of control. How would you expect her to utilize her power?

A) Persuasion and expertise
B) Coercive power and threats
C) Her own position
D) There is not enough information available to answer the question.

Answer 1

Mary, who believes in the role of external factors in life outcomes, may use persuasive power and her expertise rather than coercion or position-based influence, aligning with an external locus of control.

Step-by-step explanation:

If Mary believes that "Some things are just meant to be," and "The economic health of this country is largely beyond the control of the individual," we could classify her as having an external locus of control. An external locus of control indicates a belief that outcomes are mostly determined by external forces rather than by one's own efforts. Therefore, one might expect that Mary would utilize her power in a more cooperative and persuasive manner, believing that influence is more effective when she cannot control outcomes directly. This suggests that she may likely use persuasive power and rely on her expertise rather than trying to impose her will through coercive power and threats or relying solely on her position to get things done. In social groups or political economies, especially in environments where formal authority is limited, persuasive power is the ability to shape consensus and influence others without coercion. In contrast, Jane's belief that she got a bad grade because her professor doesn't like her indicates an external locus of control as well, attributing her outcomes to external factors rather than her own actions.