The role of mentor trust and protégé internal locus of control in formal mentoring relationships

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between mentor trust, protégé internal locus of control, and the mentoring functions reported by protégés. The matched mentor-protégé sample came from a formal mentoring program in China. We found a positive relationship between protégés' internal locus of control and the extent of mentoring functions they reported receiving. Mentors' affect-based trust was positively related to the extent of mentoring functions protégés reported receiving regardless of their internal locus of control. However, mentors' cognition-based trust was positively related to protégés' report of the extent of mentoring functions only for protégés who were lower in internal locus of control. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.