Environmental ambiguity and locus of control as interactive influences on satisfaction

Abstract

Hypothesized that environmental ambiguity is negatively correlated to satisfaction only for those with low control over their behavior. The hypothesis was supported in 1 of 3 studies with a total of 383 undergraduates. Overall, there was a lack of importance for ambiguity as a determinant of satisfaction. It is suggested that situations of high ambiguity with their implied high reliance on people rather than rules and regulations are not dissatisfying if they are in balance and congruent with one's perceptions and beliefs about the nature of the world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)