What psychological concept explains a scenario where an individual feels less in control than reality indicates?

The illusion of control refers to the tendency of individuals to overestimate their ability to control events, particularly in situations where they have little actual control. This concept is relevant in scenarios where someone may feel less in control than the objective reality would suggest. For example, a person may believe that their actions can significantly influence an outcome that is primarily governed by chance, such as winning a lottery or gambling, leading to feelings of anxiety or helplessness when outcomes do not align with their expectations.

This psychological phenomenon can lead to distorted perceptions of personal efficacy, where an individual perceives a lack of influence or control despite there being greater autonomy available. The understanding of this concept is crucial in clinical and counseling psychology, as it can affect how individuals respond to stressors and make decisions.

In contrast, the other options focus on different psychological mechanisms or effects. The foot-in-the-door phenomenon involves compliance and persuasion strategies, frustration-aggression theory deals with the relationship between frustration and aggressive behavior, and the mere-exposure effect explains how repeated exposure to a stimulus increases an individual’s preference for it. None of these concepts specifically address the perception of control as effectively as the illusion of control does.