Control Theory

How do normal, everyday individuals travel throughout their world? How do people cope with stress? And why does everyone deal with these various situations within their environment differently? The answer is James Averill's Control Theory (1973). Averill suggested that individuals have three types of control over their environment: behavioral control, cognitive control, and decisional control. The British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology (2010) even states that all individuals use these three types of control over their environments to cope with stress, especially in the use of decisional control. Overall, Control Theory means that individuals are able to institute control over their environment to ultimately induce a sense of well-being, safety, and comfort.

Now, what do the three types of control theories mean? Behavioral control is considered to be an individuals way to modify the environment around them. An example of behavior control could be choosing to walk an alternative route when seeing someone handing out pamphlets on the sidewalk of campus because you want to avoid any confrontation with them. Another example of behavioral control could be moving a glass of water further from your computer to avoid from spilling on it. Overall, behavioral control is the physical control you have to change the environment around you.

By moving your mug further from your open laptop can show behavioral control within your environment
Drawing by me, Morgan James 2018. 

Cognitive control is identified in being able to control one's own thoughts and feelings in which we conceive the environment around us. Individual's all have the ability to change a negative outlook on a situation to a positive one. Instead of being upset that there is a line for Starbucks in the morning, see it as a positive opportunity to have more time to look over the menu to see if you'd like to try something new! Cognitive control is basically the ability to modify your thoughts and feelings within an environment.

Maybe next time you're in a long line, try to change your outlook on a generally negative
environmental situation http://www.koreatimes.co

Last but not least, decisional control is everyone's ability to choose a response to every situation. Everyone uses decisional control on an everyday basis. For me personally, I choose to skateboard a route to school everyday that avoids traffic and stoplights. I could also choose to take the bus if the weather were to be bad that day. Overall, I use decisional control in my environment every single day to avoid situations that cause stress like traffic, weather, crowding of people, etc.

I choose what route I want to take when I skateboard anywhere whether it be on campus or at home in CA
Picture taken off my iphone by Robert Phillips in Huntington Beach, CA 2018.

Everyday I see various individuals and even catch myself now using Averill's control theory to navigate their environment and cope with stressful situations. People use these strategies within their environment to create a more comfortable, safe, and induce a sense of well-being that is unique to their personal needs. Not everyone navigates a space the same because everyone's needs for control within their space is different. In conclusion, learning your personal needs for control within a space can better help you navigate your world and meet your needs!

Sources: 

Shanahan, M. J.  & Neufeld R. W.J. (2010). Coping with Stress Through Decisional Control. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology, 63, 575-601. www.bpsjournals.co.uk