Work

Locus of control, educational attainment, and college aspirations: the relative role of effort and expectations

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: We study the relationship between locus of control and both educational attainment and college aspirations in adolescence, focusing on the potential channels through which locus of control may influence these outcomes. Even after controlling for a comprehensive set of socio-demographic factors and cognitive skills, there remains a strong correlation between locus of control, college aspirations, and attendance. We show that effort is an essential channel through which locus of control operates. Mediation analysis further reveals that this mechanism is more influential than future expectations in determining high-school graduation, college aspirations, and attendance.

Source: Education Economics

DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2023.2273220

Authors: Ágnes Szabó-Morvai, Hubert János Kiss

Institutions: University of Debrecen, Institute for Transport Sciences, Institute of Economics, Corvinus University of Budapest

Language: English

Topic: Higher Education Research Studies

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Magyar Tudományos Akadémia