Scale Overview
The Ascription of Responsibility Questionnaire – ARQ was developed by Hakstian, A. R., Suedfeld, P., Ballard, E. J., & Rank, D. S. (1986). It is designed to measure Ascription of Responsibility. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 40 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Traditional Focused, Diffuse Responsibility, Exercised Responsibility, Individual Focused Responsibility.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Traditional Focused |
1,5,14,17,18,22,26,29,31,33,39 |
11 |
| Diffuse Responsibility |
2,6,8,11,15,19,27,30,34,36,38 |
11 |
| Exercised Responsibility |
3,9,12,16,20,24,40 |
7 |
| Individual Focused Responsibility |
4,7,10,13,21,23,25,28,32,35,37 |
11 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 1 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified in source text.
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.