The relationship between locus of control and job satisfaction of Appalachian principals
Abstract
This study was designed to examine the relationship between the locus of control of Appalachian public school principals in the states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, and its relationship to their job satisfaction.
The sample utilized in this study consisted of 333 principals. Each participant was mailed a survey packet containing a cover letter, a demographic sheet, and two questionnaires, the Adult Nowicki-Strickland I~E Scale (Nowicki & Duke, 1974) and the Mohrman-Cooke-Mohrman Job Satisfaction Scales (Mohrman, Cooke, Mohrman, Duncan & Zaltman, 1977). The total usable return was 236 (71%).
The data were analyzed using the Statistical Analysis Systems. Analyses of Variance were utilized to test the hypotheses. An alpha level of 0.05 was used to determine significance. Analyses of the data resulted in these findings:
Principals in the Appalachian counties of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee who had an internal locus of control had significantly higher intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction than those principals who had an external locus of control.
The principals of the Appalachian counties of Virginia were found to be significantly more extrinsically satisfied with their jobs than the principals of West Virginia. No significance was found to exist between the other states of this study when examining extrinsic job satisfaction. No significance was found between any of the states when examining intrinsic Job satisfaction.
The female principals of this study were found to have greater amounts of intrinsic job satisfaction. No significance was found between the sexes in regard to extrinsic Job satisfaction.
Those principals of the study who made $40,000, or greater, annually were found to have significantly higher levels of extrinsic job satisfaction than those principals who made $25,000-$29,000 annually, and those principals who made $30,000-$34,999 annually. No significant difference was found between the amount of salary and intrinsic job satisfaction.
No significant difference was found in either intrinsic of extrinsic job satisfaction when considering age. Neither were there any significant differences found when examining principals ' self-perception as to whether they consider themselves primarily an instructional leader or a manager.
