Outcome Responsibility

What it measures

A three-item Likert-type scale designed to measure the degree to which a person feels in control of a choice and takes personal responsibility for the outcome.

Response format

9-point scale

Scale items

• How responsible do you feel for the outcome of this choice? (1 = Not responsible at all / 9 = Very responsible)
• How accountable do you think you are for the outcome of this choice? (1 = Not accountable at all / 9 = Very accountable)
• To what extent did you feel in control of the outcome of this choice? (1 = Not in control at all / 9 = Completely in control)

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

Usage notes & scoring

Internal consistency (alpha = .93) was reported in the primary study. Formal validity assessment was not reported by the original authors. Used as a mediator/manipulation check to assess perceived personal responsibility for choice outcomes. Items average to a single Perceived Responsibility Index. α = .87 reported in primary study. Note: same source paper as ATTO (1417), which measured attitude toward the odor used as the choice stimulus.

Citation

Botti, S., & McGill, A. L. (2006). When choosing is not deciding: The effect of perceived responsibility on satisfaction. Journal of Consumer Research, 33(2), 211–219.

Keywords