Perceived Goal-Difficulty, Locus of Control, and Performance Ratings
This study examined the moderating effect of locus of control upon the relationship between perceived goal-difficulty and performance ratings. Across the entire sample of 108 registered nurses, perceived goal difficulty was not significantly related to performance, whether assessed by self-ratings or supervisors' ratings. Locus of control, however, significantly moderated the relation between perceived goal-difficulty and self-ratings of performance. Among nurses who scored lower on the locus of control scale, indicating an internal orientation, there was a positive and statistically significant relation between perceived goal-difficulty and self-ratings of performance. On the other hand, among nurses scoring higher on the locus of control scale, indicating an external orientation, there was an inverse relation between perceived goal difficulty and self-ratings of performance. In addition, locus of control was weakly associated with supervisors' evaluations, self-evaluations, and nurses' perceptions of goal-difficulty. Magnitudes of rs ranged from −.19 to .15.