Action Control of Students Scale (ACS-S)
Measures study-related action control (action vs. state orientation) according to Kuhl's theory of action control.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Action Control of Students Scale (ACS-S) was developed by Geyer & Lilli (1992). It is designed to measure Action Control (Action vs. State Orientation). The scale is intended for use with University students.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 30 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Action Control after Success, Action Control after Failure, Prospective Action Control.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Action Control after Success | 1,4,10,12,16,21,22,24,26,28 | 10 |
| Action Control after Failure | 2,5,7,8,9,13,14,20,25,29 | 10 |
| Prospective Action Control | 3,6,11,15,17,18,19,23,27,30 | 10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = State-oriented response (Lageorientierung), 1 = Action-oriented response (Handlungsorientierung).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 10. Interpretation guidelines:
- Strong State Orientation: 0 – 4
- Moderate / Balanced Orientation: 5 – 6
- Strong Action Orientation: 7 – 10
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Retest reliability = .59 to .75.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.