Perspectives on studying perceived control in the twenty-first century

Abstract

Simple beliefs about our ability to influence life events are powerful. Perceived control acts as a cognitive resource to preserve and promote resilience and goal engagement. It cultivates overall quality of life, protecting us when adversity strikes, and it plays a self-regulatory role when pursuing goals. In this chapter, we discuss key developments in the perceived control literature and review empirical findings that provide insights into what qualifies (moderates) and explains (mediates) the role of control beliefs and strategies in fostering well being and goal pursuit. We conclude by describing future applied research that aims to instill perceived control.