A three-item scale measuring a consumer's subjective sense that they are personally in control of whether bad things happen to them and can shape outcomes to their desired end. Items tap the felt capacity to prevent negative events, the ability to make things come out as desired even when bad things occur, and a generalised sense of situational control. Developed for research on contagion threat and consumer choice, the scale captures perceived personal efficacy over outcomes.
7-point Likert
Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.
Alpha = .90 in both studies — Galoni, Carpenter & Rao (2020, Study 5 and web appendix). VALIDITY: Not reported. Adapted from Kushner et al. (1993). NOTE: Items use absolute language ('I always...', 'No matter what...') which may increase response acquiescence effects. Researchers should consider whether the universality implied in the wording suits their study context.
Galoni, Chelsea, Gregory S. Carpenter, and Hayagreeva Rao (2020). Disgusted and afraid: Consumer choices under the threat of contagious disease. Journal of Consumer Research, 47(3), 373–392.
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