Measurement of Activation through Self-Report

Abstract

While activation has proved to be a very useful concept in understanding behavior, theoretical and practical problems concerning physiological measurement have reduced its utility. Controlled self-report is suggested as an alternative measurement form, and data from several studies are presented indicating the validity of the Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD-ACL), an objective self-report measure of transient levels of activation. Factor analytic studies yielded four AD-ACL factors representing different points on a hypothetical continuum. These factors correlated substantially with physiological variables and reflected significant activation changes as predicted from diurnal sleep-wakefulness variations and from an impending college examination. The relative merits of self-report and individual peripheral physiological measures in the assessment of activation are discussed.

Keywords

PsychologyAdjective check listWakefulnessBehavioral activationCognitive psychologyClinical psychologyNeuroscienceSocial psychologyElectroencephalographyCognitionPersonality

Affiliated Institutions

California State University System US

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Publication Info

Year: 1967
Type: article
Volume: 20
Issue: 2
Pages: 663-678
Citations: 553
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                    Robert E Thayer
                                
                            (1967). 
                            Measurement of Activation through Self-Report. 
                            Psychological Reports
                            , 20
                            (2)
                            , 663-678.
                            https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1967.20.2.663

Identifiers

DOI: 10.2466/pr0.1967.20.2.663