ACS-T · Individual differences in using volitional abilities to initiate and maintain intended actions
Action Control Scale
Overview
Action Control Scale
Action–state orientation refers to individual differences in using volitional self-regulatory abilities to disengage from goal-interfering thoughts and affect, initiate intended actions under demanding conditions, and maintain goal pursuit until completion.
- Construct
- Individual differences in using volitional abilities to initiate and maintain intended actions
- Target Population
- Adults and university students
- Response Format
- Forced-choice format; each item presents two alternatives, one action-oriented and one state-oriented.
- Number of Items
- 23 items
- Year
- 1994
- Adaptation Year
- 2022
Structure
Subscales
Saplanma-Kopma/Preoccupation-Disengagement
9 itemsAbility to disengage from intrusive thoughts and negative affect that interfere with goal pursuit.
Tereddüt-Başlama/Hesitation-Initiative
8 itemsAbility to initiate intended actions, especially under difficult or demanding conditions.
Yılma-Kararlılık/Volatility-Persistence
6 itemsAbility to maintain attention and persist in intended actions until completion.
Statistics
Reliability
Internal consistency was higher for preoccupation and hesitation and lower for volatility. In the revised 23-item form, alpha values were around .73–.77 for preoccupation, .80–.82 for hesitation, and .61–.63 for volatility across studies. Test–retest estimates were also reported.
Evidence
Validity Notes
CFA results supported the revised 23-item three-factor structure in student and employee samples. Construct validity was supported through associations with achievement motivation, cognitive failures, cognitive emotion regulation, affect, personality traits, and emotional labor variables.
Notes
Additional Notes
The preoccupation/disengagement dimension is also referred to as failure- (or threat) related action-state orientation, the hesitation/initiative dimension as demand-related action-state orientation, and the volatility/persistence dimension as performance-related action-state orientation.
Downloads
How to Cite
Peker, M., & Meşe, G. (2022). Psychometric evaluation of the Action Control Scale in Turkish samples and the relationship of action–state orientation with emotional labor. Journal of Personality Assessment, 104(5), 637–649. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2021.1981344
Validation Article
DOICitation for Original Scale
Kuhl, J. (1994). Action and state orientation: Psychometric properties of the Action Control Scales (ACS-90). In J. Kuhl & J. Beckmann (Eds.), Volition and personality: Action versus state orientation (pp. 47–59). Hogrefe.