Consumer Self-Confidence Scale

What it measures

A multidimensional measure of consumer self-confidence capturing competence and assurance across six distinct marketplace contexts. Decision-making self-confidence (IA, CSF, PO, SO) captures ability to acquire information, identify options, and make sound personal and socially evaluated choices. Protection self-confidence (PK, MI) captures ability to detect and resist persuasion attempts and to assertively navigate marketplace interactions. Validated across seven studies including student, adult community, married couple, and professional samples.

Response format

5-point Likert (1=extremely uncharacteristic to 5=extremely characteristic); subscale scores averaged

Scale items

Information Acquisition (IA) — confidence in finding and using pre-purchase information (Likert 1–5)

• I know where to find the information I need prior to making a purchase.
• I know where to look to find the product information I need.
• I am confident in my ability to research important purchases.
• I know the right questions to ask when shopping.
• I have the skills required to obtain needed information before making important purchases.

Consideration-Set Formation (CSF) — confidence in identifying viable options

• I am confident in my ability to recognize a brand worth considering.
• I can tell which brands meet my expectations.
• I trust my own judgment when deciding which brands to consider.
• I know which stores to shop.
• I can focus easily on a few good brands when making a decision.

Personal Outcomes Decision Making (PO) — confidence in making personally satisfying choices

• I often have doubts about the purchase decisions I make.
• I frequently agonize over what to buy.
• I often wonder if I've made the right purchase selection.
• I never seem to buy the right thing for me.
• Too often, the things I buy are not satisfying.

Social Outcomes Decision Making (SO) — confidence that purchases generate positive social evaluations

• My friends are impressed with my ability to make satisfying purchases.
• I impress people with the purchases I make.
• My neighbors admire my decorating ability.
• I have the ability to give good presents.
• I get compliments from others on my purchase decisions.

Persuasion Knowledge (PK) — confidence in detecting and resisting marketplace persuasion

• I know when an offer is 'too good to be true.'
• I can tell when an offer has strings attached.
• I have no trouble understanding the bargaining tactics used by salespersons.
• I know when a marketer is pressuring me to buy.
• I can see through sales gimmicks used to get consumers to buy.
• I can separate fact from fantasy in advertising.

Marketplace Interfaces (MI) — confidence in assertively handling marketplace interactions

• I am afraid to ask 'to speak to the manager.'
• I don't like to tell a salesperson something is wrong in the store.
• I have a hard time saying no to a salesperson.
• I am too timid when problems arise while shopping.
• I am hesitant to complain when shopping.

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

Usage notes & scoring

PO and MI items are negatively worded — higher scores after recoding indicate higher confidence. Test-retest correlations ranged 0.60–0.84 across dimensions (Study 4). Convergent validity supported via correlations with self-esteem, product-specific confidence, and susceptibility to normative influence. Subscale scores should be reported separately; a total CSC score is not recommended without theoretical justification for aggregating across all six dimensions.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Bearden, W.O., Hardesty, D.M., & Rose, R.L. (2001). Consumer self-confidence: Refinements in conceptualization and measurement. Journal of Consumer Research, 28(2), 121–134.

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