Rotter's locus of control describes which of the following?

• A. The extent to which individuals believe they control events affecting them.
• B. A stable personality trait that predicts behavior across situations.
• C. The degree to which a person emphasizes automatic cognitive processes.
• D. The tendency to experience positive affect.

Answer: (A)

Rotter’s locus of control centers on belief about whether outcomes are under one’s own control. It’s a cognitive expectancy about reinforcement: people with an internal locus feel their actions, efforts, and choices largely determine what happens to them, while those with an external locus see outcomes as caused by luck, fate, or powerful others. This belief shapes how motivated and how one responds to success or failure, rather than describing automatic thought processes or mood. So the statement that best captures it is the extent to which individuals believe they control events affecting them.