Responsibility (Individual)

What it measures

The scale measures how much personal responsibility a person feels for a particular outcome — a sense of obligation and accountability toward it, distinct from simply having an opinion about it. Four items adapt a fill-in-the-blank stem to the object of responsibility, developed in research on psychological ownership and stewardship of shared public resources.

Response format

7-point Likert (1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree)

Scale items

• I feel a sense of responsibility for _____.
• I feel a sense of obligation to _____.
• I feel responsible for what happens to _____.
• I feel accountable for _____.

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

Usage notes & scoring

Peck et al. (2021) built this scale drawing on ideas from Botti and McGill (2006) and Feather (1996); used across three studies. Reliability was excellent throughout (α = .93–.97). Validity wasn't separately discussed.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Peck, J., Kirk, C.P., Luangrath, A.W., & Shu, S.B. (2021). Caring for the Commons: Using Psychological Ownership to Enhance Stewardship Behavior for Public Goods. Journal of Marketing, 85(2), 33–49.

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