Dr. Rotter’s research and writings spanned seven decades and ranged widely in subject matter from level of aspiration to interpersonal differences in personality. A recipient of the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution award, he is considered to have transformed behavioral approaches to personality and clinical psychology through the development of his social learning theory.

Of equal note is his development of the theory of locus of control, which provided the foundation for subsequent research on psychological choice and perceived control. His work has influenced many other fields beyond psychology, including consumer research and religion.

Dr. Rotter was named one of the most eminent psychologists of the 20th century (Haggbloom et al., 2002), being the 18th most frequently cited in journal articles.

References

Haggbloom, S., Warnick, R., Warnick, J., Jones, V., Yarbrough, G., Russell, T., … Monte, E. (2002). The 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century. Review of General Psychology, 6, 139-152. http://doi.org/d8c6gn

Haggbloom, S., Warnick, R., Warnick, J., Jones, V., Yarbrough, G., Russell, T., … Monte, E. (2002). The 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century. Review of General Psychology, 6, 139-152. http://doi.org/d8c6gn

Robert A. C. Stewart, Editor-in-Chief, Scientific Journal Publishers, New Zealand.