| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Description | The Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS; O’Connor, 1962) is a paired-comparison test designed to assess the intra-individual strength of the motive to achieve success relative to the motive to avoid failure. The test is grounded in Atkinson’s (1957) theory of achievement motivation, which highlights distinctions between individuals high in resultant achievement motivation (who prefer tasks of intermediate difficulty and are success-oriented) and those low in resultant motivation (who focus on failure avoidance and prefer tasks that are either very easy or very difficult). The items measure factors such as affect (hope vs. fear), behavior direction (approach vs. avoidance), and task difficulty (intermediate, easy, or hard) in achievement scenarios. |
| Author | Patricia O’Connor |
| Institutional Author | American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, US |
| Purpose | To evaluate the motivation to achieve success in relation to the motivation to avoid failure. |
| Construct | Motivation to Achieve Success; Motivation to Avoid Failure |
| Instrument Type | Rating Scale |
| Administration Method | Paper |
| Test Year | 1962 |
| Format | Multiple choice |
| Number of Items | 40 items (male version); 50 items (female version) |
| Age Group | Adulthood (18 years & older) |
| Population Group | Human |
| Test Items Available | No; contact the author or publisher for more details on obtaining the test items. |
| Reliability | No reliability data available. |
| Validity | No validity data available. |
| Factor Analysis | Not indicated. |
| Classification | Emotional States, Emotional Responses, and Motivation |
| Keywords | Achievement Risk-Preference Scale; Failure; Success; Test Development |
| Index Terms | Achievement; Failure; Rating Scales; Test Construction; Risk Assessment |
| Reference | American Psychological Association. (1962). Program of the seventieth Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association: August 30-September 5, 1962, St. Louis, Missouri. American Psychologist, 17(6), 295–408. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0044593 |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2026). Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/achievement-risk-preference-scale-arps/
Mohammed looti. "Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 4 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/achievement-risk-preference-scale-arps/.
Mohammed looti. "Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/achievement-risk-preference-scale-arps/.
Mohammed looti (2026) 'Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/achievement-risk-preference-scale-arps/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
Mohammed looti. Achievement Risk-Preference Scale (ARPS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.