Causal Dimension Scale II

Abstract

The Causal Dimension Scale II (CDSII) is a widely utilized psychological instrument designed to assess how individuals perceive the underlying causes of success or failure (i.e., causal attributions). Developed as a revision of the original Causal Dimension Scale (CDS) by Dan Russell (1982), the CDSII was refined by McAuley, Duncan, and Russell in 1992 to better align with the multidimensional framework of attribution theory, particularly focusing on the distinctions between personal and external control. The scale measures perceptions of causes across four primary dimensions: Locus of Causality, Stability, Personal Control, and External Control.

The CDSII is typically administered following a performance event (e.g., success or failure) where the respondent has already identified the perceived cause of the outcome. The scale then measures the dimensional properties of that specific cause, providing quantitative data crucial for research in motivation, academic achievement, and health psychology.

Keywords

Causal Dimension Scale II, CDSII, Attribution Theory, Locus of Causality, Stability, Controllability, Personal Control, External Control, Psychometric Scale, Motivation.

Authors

Edward McAuley, Terry Duncan, Dan Russell

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Causal Dimension Scale II is to provide a reliable and valid measure of the perceived properties of a specific cause for an outcome, consistent with the dimensional framework proposed by Bernard Weiner’s attribution theory. Unlike previous measures that often confounded control dimensions, the CDSII explicitly separates personal control (control exerted by the individual) from external control (control exerted by others or contextual factors).

This separation allows researchers to investigate the nuanced relationships between attributional dimensions and subsequent affective, behavioral, and cognitive consequences, such as future expectancy, self-esteem, and persistence in goal-directed behavior. The scale helps quantify subjective interpretations of causes, moving beyond simple self-report of the cause itself.

Construct

The CDSII measures four key dimensions of causal attribution:

• Locus of Causality: This dimension assesses whether the perceived cause of an outcome is internal (due to the person, reflecting an aspect of the self) or external (due to the situation or environment).
• Stability: This dimension evaluates whether the cause is perceived as enduring or fixed over time (stable/permanent) or temporary and fluctuating (unstable/variable).
• Personal Control: This dimension measures the extent to which the individual believes they have the ability to regulate or manage the cause.
• External Control (Control by Others): This dimension, distinct from personal control, measures the extent to which other people or external agents have power or control over the cause.

The CDSII structure reflects the theoretical refinement that control should be viewed not as a single dimension but as differentiated facets (personal versus external) to accurately capture the complexity of human causal judgment.

Validity

The development of the CDSII (1992) was motivated by psychometric concerns regarding the discriminant validity of the original CDS, particularly the conflation of different control concepts. The CDSII demonstrated improved construct validity, particularly in separating the perceived dimensions of controllability.

Factor analytic studies detailed in the primary reference support the hypothesized four-factor structure (Locus of Causality, Stability, Personal Control, External Control). This structure provides empirical support for the theoretical distinction between personal agency and control exerted by external forces, confirming the scale’s ability to measure these discrete dimensions.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the CDSII has been consistently reported as acceptable to high across various studies. The authors, McAuley et al. (1992), reported strong alpha coefficients for the four subscales, indicating that the items within each dimension reliably measure the same underlying construct. These reliability estimates generally meet or exceed those reported for the original CDS, establishing the CDSII as a more psychometrically robust measure of dimensional attributions.

Factor Analysis

The revision resulting in the CDSII was largely driven by factor analysis revealing that the original CDS’s Controllability dimension often overlapped with Locus of Causality and lacked clear distinction between personal and external agency. The CDSII uses 12 items specifically chosen and structured to yield a cleaner four-factor solution corresponding to the Locus of Causality, Stability, Personal Control, and External Control dimensions. This structure validates the revised instrument’s superior adherence to Weiner’s theoretical model of attribution.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychological Scale

Format: 12 items rated on a 9-point semantic differential scale (bipolar adjectives).

Language Available: Primarily English, with translations available in various languages depending on subsequent research applications.

Population Group: General population, often used in educational, sports, and clinical psychology research.

Age Group: Adolescents and adults capable of understanding abstract causal concepts.

Population Details: The scale is typically used when measuring reactions to specific, self-identified performance outcomes (success or failure events).

Test Methodology: Respondents first identify the cause(s) of a specific outcome (e.g., poor exam grade or successful athletic performance). They then rate their impression of that identified cause(s) across the 12 semantic differential items.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Academic Motivation, Performance Outcome, Self-Efficacy, Attributional Style, Revised Causal Dimension Scale, Dimensional Analysis.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: Refer to the original publication for author affiliation details (e.g., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for McAuley).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1992 (Publication of the revised scale).

Permissions and Fees: Researchers typically use the CDSII without formal fee, provided they cite the original publication. For commercial use or large-scale distribution, contact the authors or the publisher of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin is advised. The original PDF of the instrument and related materials can sometimes be found via academic repositories, such as the one referenced here: http://cart.rmcdenver.com/instruments/causal_dimension.pdf.

Reference’s

• McAuley, E., Duncan, T., & Russell, D. (1992). Measuring causal attributions: The revised Causal Dimension Scale (CDSII). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18, 566-573.
• Russell, D. (1982). The Causal Dimension Scale: A measure of how individuals perceive causes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42(6), 1137-1145.

The original article detailing the development and validation of the CDSII is often available as a PDF: http://www.epl.illinois.edu/files/images/measures/CDSII_article.pdf.

Items of the Causal Dimension Scale II

Instructions: Think about the reason or reasons you have written above. The items below concern your impressions or opinions of this cause or causes of your performance. Circle one number for each of the following questions.

Is this cause(s) something:

Scoring: The total scores for each dimension are obtained by summing the items, as follows:

• Locus of Causality: Items 1, 6, 9
• External Control: Items 5, 8, 12
• Stability: Items 3, 7, 11
• Personal Control: Items 2, 4, 10