ISSN : 1229-0718
The present study investigated the development of internal-external locus of control in terms of factor analysis with 358 fifth grade children in elementary school, 446 first grade and 426 third grade students in junior high school. Internal-external locus of control scale in this study included unknown dimension, and cognitive, social physical and general behavioral domains. Two steps of factor analysis were conducted on the scale. As a result, a clear unknown factor was found in all the age groups. This result suggests that unknown dimension is required in order to analyze developmental trend in internal-external locus of control with children. In addition, the result revealed that decrease in internal locus of control from elementary school to the first grade students in junior high school was found while increase in internal locus of control from the first grade to the third grade in junior high school was shown. The decrease of internal locus of control in the first grade of junior high school was interpreted in terms of Korean social and educational systems.