Behaviour Identification Form

What it measures

Measures individual differences in the level at which people mentally represent actions — either in terms of concrete, mechanistic details (low-level, how) or abstract, meaning-focused terms (high-level, why). Based on Action Identification Theory and related to Construal Level Theory (Trope & Liberman). For each of 25 everyday actions, respondents choose between a low-level description (e.g., 'moving a pen across paper') and a high-level description (e.g., 'expressing your thoughts'). Individuals who habitually represent actions at high levels (abstract construers) focus on the purpose and meaning of actions; low-level construers focus on procedures and mechanics. In consumer research, construal level moderates processing of advertising messages (abstract appeals match high-level construers; concrete feature information matches low-level construers), willingness to pay for distant vs near products, temporal discounting, and responses to regulatory fit manipulations.

Response format

Forced choice (A or B) between a concrete low-level description and an abstract high-level description of each action

Scale items

• Making a list: A. Writing things down / B. Getting organised
• Reading: A. Following lines of print / B. Gaining knowledge
• Joining a health club: A. Paying dues / B. Getting in shape
• Voting: A. Influencing the election / B. Marking a ballot
• Eating: A. Chewing and swallowing / B. Getting nutrition
• Cleaning the house: A. Vacuuming the floor / B. Getting rid of dirt
• Painting a room: A. Applying paint to walls / B. Making the room look fresh
• Washing dishes: A. Getting the dishes clean / B. Removing food and grease
• Locking a door: A. Putting a key in the lock / B. Securing the house
• Greeting someone: A. Saying hello / B. Showing friendliness
• Resisting temptation: A. Saying no / B. Showing moral courage
• Attending class: A. Sitting in a room with others / B. Increasing knowledge
• Talking to a child: A. Using simple words / B. Teaching the child something
• Filling out a form: A. Providing information / B. Answering questions
• Getting up early: A. Getting out of bed / B. Starting the day off right
• Paying for a purchase: A. Writing a check / B. Exchanging resources
• Preparing a meal: A. Following a recipe / B. Providing nourishment
• Meeting someone new: A. Getting to know someone / B. Saying hello
• Losing weight: A. Eating less / B. Improving my appearance
• Mowing the lawn: A. Trimming the grass / B. Beautifying the yard
• Picking an apple: A. Pulling an apple off a branch / B. Getting something to eat
• Dieting: A. Restricting food intake / B. Improving health
• Raking leaves: A. Moving leaves from here to there / B. Cleaning up the yard
• Buying groceries: A. Looking for good prices / B. Providing for family needs
• Doing laundry: A. Putting clothes in the machine / B. Cleaning clothes

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Score = number of high-level (B) choices selected (0–25). Higher = more abstract/high-level construal. The BIF measures chronic construal level as a trait; Construal Level Theory (Trope & Liberman, 2010) also manipulates construal level experimentally via psychological distance primes. BIF scores predict responses to abstract vs concrete advertising appeals, near vs distant temporal framing, and why vs how messaging. Widely used as a measured moderator in construal level theory consumer experiments.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Vallacher, R.R., & Wegner, D.M. (1989). Levels of personal agency: Individual variation in action identification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(4), 660–672.

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