Locus of Control and Value Orientations in Preadolescents: Psycho-Pedagogical Implications and Methodological Guidelines in the Digital Age
Keywords:
self-regulation; screen time; axiological dissonance; social validation; dependenceAbstract
The continuous expansion of the virtual environment generates major transformations in the psycho-social and cognitive development of preadolescents, directly affecting the mechanisms of psychological self-regulation. The present study analyzes the complex structural relationship between the locus of control and value orientations at this stage of development. It also highlights how dependence on specialized media platforms modifies the individual structure of preadolescents. Based on a theoretical-analytical framework and a conceptual synthesis of standardized psychological variables, the paper examines how the externalization of causal attribution interferes with the hierarchical stability of terminal and instrumental values. The synthesized data reveal a close correlation between prolonged screen time and a significant shift toward an external locus of control. This evolution is directly associated with the prioritization of immediate gratification and social validation to the detriment of academic achievement and autonomous moral judgment. Consequently, a pronounced axiological dissonance is recorded between declared ideals and practical behavior. Towards the end, the study substantiates essential psycho-pedagogical guidelines and structured instructional strategies aimed at reconstructing the internal locus of control and consolidating a sustainable ethical compass in the modern school environment.
References
Antoci, D. (2018). Impactul valorilor interculturale asupra dimensiunii morale a personalității [The impact of intercultural values on the moral dimension of personality]. Revista de Știinţe Socioumane (Revista de studii interdisciplinare „C. Stere”), 3–4(19–20), 172–178.
Antoci, D. (2019). Caracteristicile dezvoltării orientărilor valorice la adolescenți și tineri [The characteristics of value orientation development in adolescents and young people]. In Învățământul Superior: Tradiții, Valori, Perspective [Higher Education: Traditions, Values, Perspectives] (Vol. 1, pp. 6–11).
Bardi, M., & Schwartz, S. H. (2003). Values and behaviour: Strength and structure of relations. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(10), 1207–1220.
Chapman, G., & Pellicane, A. (2018). Raising children in the age of technology. Sociable children in a world of screens. Casa Cărții Publishing House.
DataReportal. (2021). Digital 2021: Romania. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-romania
Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., & Spinrad, T. L. (2006). Prosocial development. In Handbook of Child Psychology: Social, Emotional, and Personality Development (pp. 646–718). John Wiley & Sons.
Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and Crisis. W. W. Norton & Company.
Graber, D. (2020). Children in the digital age. How to help them develop a healthy relationship with technology. Niculescu Publishing House.
Greenfield, P. M. (2009). Technology and informal education: What is taught, what is learnt. Science, 323(5910), 69–71.
Iluț, P. (2004). Valori, atitudini și comportamente. Teme actuale de psihosociologie [Values, attitudes and behaviours: Current themes in psychosociology]. Polirom Publishing House.
Iovan, Ș. (2015). Implementarea conceptului de școală digitală în România [The implementation of the concept of the digital school in Romania]. In Educația din perspectiva valorilor (Vol. VII: Summa Theologiae, pp. 177–183). Eikon Publishing House.
Kardefelt-Winther, D. (2014). A conceptual framework for compensatory internet use. Computers in Human Behaviour, 32, 351–355.
Paladi, O. (2022). Conținutul și caracteristicile orientărilor valorice la vârsta adolescenței [The content and characteristics of value orientations in adolescence]. Studia Universitatis Moldaviae (Seria Științe ale Educației), 9(159), 129–136.
Pavelcu, V. (1982). Cunoașterea de sine și cunoașterea personalității [Self-knowledge and knowledge of personality]. Didactică și Pedagogică Publishing House.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalised expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1–28.
Schwartz, S. H. (1992). Universals in the content and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 25, 1–65.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Helplessness: On depression, development, and death. W. H. Freeman.
Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood. Atria Books.
Vîrlan, M., & Baciu, T. (2016). Locusul controlului şi influenţa lui asupra generării comportamentului agresiv al preadolescenţilor [Locus of control and its influence on generating preadolescents’ aggressive behaviour]. Revistă de Știinţe Socioumane, 11(1), 41-46.
Voicu, B. (2008). Capitalul social în România: Funcții și evoluții [Social capital in Romania: Functions and evolutions]. Expert Publishing House.
Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. PublicAffairs.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Didactica Danubiensis
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
