A scale to measure the cognitive control form of perceived control: Construction and preliminary assessment

Abstract This article explores the notion that the evaluation process for services may include some variables not typically associated with the evaluation of physical goods. Evidence exists that enhanced perceptions of control may contribute to the pleasantness of service experiences. Although three forms of perceived control—behavioral, decisional, and cognitive—have been utilized as experimental manipulations of individuals' control, established measures exist for the first two forms only. Through two studies, this research develops a measure for perceived cognitive control and reports exploratory modeling with the construct within the disconfirmation paradigm and extensive tests of the measure's validation. The two‐dimensional scale evidences unidimensionality, strong internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity. Assessment of relationships between the perceived cognitive control scale and numerous, related constructs supports criterion‐related validity and nomological validity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.