Choice Freedom

What it measures

A five-item scale measuring the degree to which a consumer perceives a choice they have made as freely self-determined and personally owned, rather than externally controlled or constrained. Items tap psychological ownership of the choice, expression of self-determination, absence of external control (reverse-scored), personal endorsement, and genuine engagement with the decision. The scale captures the subjective experience of autonomous agency in a choice episode and is applicable to research on choice satisfaction, post-decision affect, and decision locus.

Representative items

• I feel as if I own this choice of [object].
• This choice of [object] is an expression of my self-determination.
• I feel truly engaged in this choice of [object].

Citation

Botti, Simona and Ann L. McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(6), 1065–1078.