Balanced Item Set (Acquiescence Control)
HR & WorkReliability: method-level3 sample items
About this scale
A method approach: include equal numbers of positively-worded and reverse-worded items to control for acquiescence response bias. Net score after reversing reverse-worded items removes acquiescence variance.
Sample item(s)
“Positive item: I always try to do my best (acquiescence-vulnerable)”
“Reverse item: I sometimes give up easily (acquiescence-vulnerable)”
“Pair to net out yes-saying tendency”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: method-level. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Standard method for acquiescence control.
Source & citation
Schmitt, N., & Stuits, D. M. (1985): Factors defined by negatively keyed items: The result of careless respondents? Applied Psychological Measurement, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 367–373.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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