Marketing & consumer behavior
Perceived behavioral control scale (TPB)
- Concept
- Perceived Behavioral Control
- Field
- Marketing & consumer behavior
- Scales in the library
- 3
- Items
- 12
Perceived behavioral control is the degree to which a person believes that performing a behavior is easy or difficult and within their ability. Ajzen added this concept to the TRA to form the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and it has two parts: confidence (close to self-efficacy) and controllability. In UTAUT and UTAUT2, the closest concept is facilitating conditions, which measure available resources, knowledge and support. Common thesis topics: entrepreneurial intention, green product purchase intention, digital banking intention, online learning intention.
Comparing the scales
| Scale | Author (year) | Items | Response format | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) scale | Francis et al. (2004) | 4 | Likert 7-point | Choose when the model follows TPB; 4 items covering both confidence and controllability, applicable to most behaviors. |
| Facilitating Conditions (FC) UTAUT2 scale | Venkatesh et al. (2012) | 4 | Likert 7-point | Choose when the topic is consumer technology under UTAUT2; measures resources, knowledge, compatibility and help. |
| Facilitating Conditions (FC) UTAUT scale | Venkatesh et al. (2003) | 4 | Likert 7-point | Choose when the topic is technology in organizations under UTAUT; FC4 asks about a specific person or group providing support. |
Items of each scale
Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or
[brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.
Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) · Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| PBC1 | I am confident that I could [perform the behavior] if I wanted to. |
| PBC2 (R) | For me to [perform the behavior] is: easy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 difficult |
| PBC3 (R) | The decision to [perform the behavior] is beyond my control. |
| PBC4 | Whether I [perform the behavior] or not is entirely up to me. |
Source: Francis et al. (2004). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) scale.
Facilitating Conditions (FC) · UTAUT2 scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| FC1 | I have the resources necessary to use [mobile Internet]. |
| FC2 | I have the knowledge necessary to use [mobile Internet]. |
| FC3 | [mobile Internet] is compatible with other technologies I use. |
| FC4 | I can get help from others when I have difficulties using [mobile Internet]. |
Source: Venkatesh et al. (2012). Response scale, licence and APA reference: UTAUT2 scale.
Facilitating Conditions (FC) · UTAUT scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| FC1 | I have the resources necessary to use [system]. |
| FC2 | I have the knowledge necessary to use [system]. |
| FC3 (R) | [system] is not compatible with other systems I use. |
| FC4 | A specific person (or group) is available for assistance with system difficulties. |
Source: Venkatesh et al. (2003). Response scale, licence and APA reference: UTAUT scale.
(R): reverse-coded item; recode before analysis. Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) scale: 1–7 scale: new score = 1 + 7 − score = 8 − score. For adjective pairs with the positive pole on the left, reverse so that a high score always means the positive pole. UTAUT scale: 1–7 scale: new score = 1 + 7 − score = 8 − score; 1–5 scale: new score = 1 + 5 − score = 6 − score.
Tips
- PBC2 and PBC3 of the TPB scale are reverse-coded; FC3 of UTAUT is too. Mark them clearly in the data entry file to reverse before running alpha.
- The confidence and control parts sometimes split into two factors in EFA. If this happens, report it and consider keeping the part with higher loadings.
- Write the behavior in the item exactly as in the intention and subjective norm scales so respondents do not read them as two different behaviors.
Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Are perceived behavioral control and facilitating conditions the same?
Not exactly. Perceived behavioral control is the respondent's belief that they can perform the behavior. Facilitating conditions measure external resources and support. Venkatesh et al. (2003) built facilitating conditions partly from perceived control items.
Does perceived behavioral control affect behavior directly?
Yes. In TPB, perceived behavioral control affects intention and can affect actual behavior directly. If your thesis only measures intention, you only need the arrow to intention.
Can a self-efficacy scale replace perceived behavioral control?
It can if your topic emphasizes confidence, but you need to argue it clearly. The General Self-Efficacy scale (GSE) measures belief in general competence and is not tied to one specific behavior as PBC is.