Robert G. Ryder

Locus of Control, Interpersonal Trust, and Assertive Behavior Among Newlyweds

This study related two cognitive personality characteristics—locus of control and interpersonal trust—to assertive behavior in a sample of recently married couples. Assertive behavior was measured by the Inventory of Marital Conflicts, an observational procedure in which couples resolve disagreements about hypothetical marital problems. Hypotheses were formulated in terms of individual locus of control as well as two combinations of locus of control and interpersonal trust—internal low trust and external high trust. Results showed that internal husbands were more assertive than external husbands in the marital conflict situation, that external high trust husbands were least assertive, and that internal-low trust wives were highly assertive. These findings are interpreted in light of previous locus-of-control and trust research, as well as in terms of unconventional marital role behavior.