ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE
CAUSED BY ME OR CAUSED BY FORCES OUTSIDE OF ME?


Not quite edited, but very usable.

THE "PUNCHLINE" FIRST

I am at cause over my life!

I have the ability as a human being to determine my own life.  No matter what happens I have the power to adjust and make the best of it.  I am not a victim of circumstances - I make my own circumstances!

OR

The cause is out there and things can't be changed

I am a victim of circumstance, I have fixed abilities that cannot be changed much, other people are at cause over me, I hope I get lucky...
______________________________________________________________


ALL RELATED AND INTERCONNECTED PIECES

Along with locus of control, responsibility, learned helplessness, comes "attributional style".  If these are on the unhealthy side, they will cause depression and low self-esteem.  If they are on the healthy side, one's life will be very good.  Most people need to improve their level of this - as evidenced by whether they are healthy and living a great life or not.

These are all learned.  People are not bad if they have one that doesn't work.  It just doesn't work and they need to learn how to change it in order to get better results in life!  (See No Fault and also No Blame.)

The "stance" you take, your beliefs around this, will determine how successful you will be in life.


WHAT IS IT?

Definition, Psychology Dictionary: a person's characteristic tendencies when inferring the cause of behavior or events, that may be based on three dimensions: the internal-external dimension (whether they tend to attribute events to the self or to other factors), the stable-unstable dimension (whether they tend to attribute events to enduring or transient causes), and the global-specific dimension (whether they tend to attribute events to causes that affect many events or just a single event). Internalizing disorders are most characteristic of internal, stable, and global attributions.

Explanatory Style (another name for it), detailed in Wikipedia.

In growth seminars, they often refer to "being at cause over life" (that phrase or a similar one is used by Landmark, I believe).  This means that one is the source of the results in his life.  The person is "in charge" and going about life not waiting for others to approve or instigate. 

This strongly relates also to one's Fixed Versus Growth Mindset.  One might see his abilities and IQ and traits as fixed and thus will tend to defend them or to protect oneself from anything that might challenge these or say they are not great - often they will not try new things, because they do not want to fail.  These people become stuck at their level of existence.  In contrast, the growth mindset says I can do anything if I put in the effort to get good enough at it and/or to get it accomplished.  This person acknowledges his efforts and how hard he tried.  He essentially sees himself as the creator of his life.  He is not a fixed mindset perfectionist or a defensive person.

TEST YOURSELF

Locus Of Control And Attributional Style Test - Can take free for personal purposes.


WHAT TO DO

If you took the test, study your answers and do what it takes to learn how to have an internal locus of control and power!!!!

Do what it takes to change "other controlled" behavior, where your behavior is determined by others but mostly because you are allowing it or causing it.  Change, as soon as possible:

1.  Being overly dependent on approval - See Approval - A Possibly "Deadly" Game, Psychologically Speaking.

   a. People pleasing - See Anxious To Please - Letting The Life Be Sucked Out Of
       You.

2.  Dependency on others, instead of being at cause over one's life. - See Dependency -
    "Giving Away Your Power".

    a. Do "the build", of what it takes to develop the skills to be powerful enough
        yourself.  See Doing "The Build" For Greater Success In Life.






Notes for a later page...

ABILITY TESTS

Differential Ability Scales (Wikipedia) - Cognitive and achievement tests, different ages, see what to accept and what to change.

See A Sense Of Control.

Locus of control relates to a person's perceived control over their own behavior.  Specifically, the "locus" is either internal or external.  A person will operate on his own power and values if he has an intermal locus of control.  If he has an external locus of control, he attributes control to "out there" - to other people and to circumstances.  The latter means life "happens to them" and they are reacting.  This significantly impacts one success.  A strong internal sense of control virtually guarantees that the person will do that which he needs to do to achieve what he wants in life.  An external locus of control lowers the chance for success significantly and increases one's stress and anxiety - and makes it much harder to succeed.   People in the latter category tend to "give away their power."