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Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health pp 379–402Cite as

The Sense of Personal Control: Social Structural Causes and Emotional Consequences

Part of the Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research book series (HSSR)

Abstract

The sense of personal control is the cognitive link between social structural conditions and emotional distress. The sense of personal control is the perception that one’s life is shaped by one’s own efforts and actions. Perceived control versus powerlessness is the cognitive imprint of structured inequality, disadvantage, and objective powerlessness, including socioeconomic status and its elements (educational attainment, work, and income); gender, age, neighborhoods, and race/ethnicity. A low sense of personal control in turn leads to depression, anxiety, and anger.

Keywords

  • personal control
  • social inequality
  • socioeconomic status
  • psychological distress

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, University Station A1700, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Catherine E. Ross & John Mirowsky

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  1. Catherine E. Ross
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  2. John Mirowsky
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Correspondence to Catherine E. Ross .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health Sciences Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Carol S. Aneshensel

  2. Department of Sociomedical Sciences Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Jo C. Phelan

  3. Department of Sociology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Alex Bierman

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Ross, C.E., Mirowsky, J. (2013). The Sense of Personal Control: Social Structural Causes and Emotional Consequences. In: Aneshensel, C.S., Phelan, J.C., Bierman, A. (eds) Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4276-5_19

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