RESPONSE-TO-FAILURE SCALE, SHORT-FORMS, INSTRUCTIONS, AND SCORING
Zemack-Rugar, Yael, Canan Corus, and David Brinberg. 2012. “The ‘Response-to-Failure’
Scale: Predicting Behavior Following Initial Self-Control Failure.” Journal of Marketing
Research (JMR) 49 (6): 996–1014. doi:10.1509/jmr.10.0510.
Eating – Scenario 1**
Imagine you are trying to lose weight. You are at
a restaurant and you order the appetizer that the
waitress recommends to you. It sounds healthy
enough, but as soon as it arrives you realize that
it is much higher in calories than you
anticipated. Having already ordered it you eat it
anyways, likely consuming more calories than
you should have for the whole meal. You feel
like you have already blown your diet for the
day. It is now time to order the entrée and you
are still hungry. You debate whether to order a
healthy, low calorie (but uninspiring) salad, or a
less healthy, higher calorie (but tempting) entrée.
Items
I would think that my diet was blown with the
appetizer so I may as well enjoy the entrée.
I would think that since I already ate too much, I
may as well enjoy the tempting entrée.
I would think that since I already failed to
achieve my diet and nutrition goals for the meal
I may as well enjoy the entrée.
I would keep thinking: "Why did I eat that
appetizer? I really should not have done that.
I would feel guilty that I had eaten the high
calorie appetizer.
I would feel frustrated for having eaten the high
calorie appetizer.
I would feel bad about myself thinking about
eating the higher calorie but tempting entrée.
I would feel irresponsible for eating the
appetizer even though it looked so fatty and high
in calories.
I would keep thinking about the calories in that
appetizer and how it is going to ruin my healthy
diet.
Eating – Scenario 2**
Imagine you are trying to lose weight. You went
out to lunch with a couple of friends and had a huge
meal with a generous helping of dessert; it certainly
was more calories than you should have had the
whole day. At the end of your busy day, you can't
wait to get home and relax. You're standing in front
of your fridge, looking at some leftover salad and
some leftover fried chicken. You debate which of
the two to have for dinner.
Items
I would think that my diet is gone, I might as well
enjoy some fried chicken for dinner.
I would think that since I already ruined my diet at
lunch, I may as well enjoy the chicken for dinner.
I would think that since I already failed to achieve
my diet and nutrition goals for the day, I may as
well enjoy my dinner.
I would keep thinking about how I had eaten so
much for lunch already.
I would feel guilty that I had eaten such a large
lunch.
I would feel bad for having eaten so much for
lunch.
I would think how bad I would feel about myself if
I ate the fried chicken.
I would feel like a failure for eating such a big
lunch earlier that day.
I would keep thinking about lunch and everything
that I ate at lunch and how bad for my diet and
nutrition it was.
Eating – Scenario 3
Imagine you are trying to lose weight. You were
in a rush in the morning and so you had a huge
muffin that was left over by your roommate; it
probably was not the best dietary choice in terms
of your diet and nutrition goals. Now it is
lunchtime, and you are standing in front of the
buffet at the student cafeteria. You've already
chosen your lunch, and you are very tempted by
the assortment of desserts that are available. You
remember that muffin you had for breakfast and
you debate whether to get dessert or not.
Items
I would think to myself: "My diet was already
ruined over breakfast so I may as well enjoy
dessert".
I would think that since I already ate a muffin at
breakfast I may as well enjoy the dessert.
I would think that I already ruined my nutrition
and diet goals for the day at breakfast, and since
I cannot reach them I may as well enjoy dessert.
I would keep thinking about how I had such an
unhealthy breakfast already.
I would feel guilty for having eaten so poorly at
breakfast.
I would feel bad for having consumed so many
calories for breakfast.
I would feel that I would be irresponsible if I ate
the dessert.
I would feel bad about myself that I ate a big
muffin for breakfast.
My thoughts would focus on how the big muffin
has ruined my diet.
Eating – Scenario 4
Imagine you are trying to lose weight. For lunch,
you ate what you thought was a low fat frozen
meal. After consuming it, you looked at the box
and realized you were mistaken; the meal was not
low fat at all and in fact contained twice as many
calories as you had thought and more than your
caloric goal for the day. It is now dinner time and
you are hungry. You stand at the student cafeteria
debating whether to order a big, juicy sandwich or a
salad.
Items
I would think that since my diet is ruined for the
day, I may as well enjoy whatever I want for
dinner.
I would think that since I already had more calories
than I should for the day, I may as well enjoy the
sandwich.
I would think about how I already ruined my diet
for the day and the day was hopeless.
I would keep thinking about that frozen lunch and
how I could have not noticed how many calories it
was; it would really bug me and affect my decision
at dinner.
I would feel guilty for eating all those calories over
lunch.
I would feel bad for having eaten the frozen meal.
I would think how irresponsible I would feel if I ate
the sandwich.
I would feel very bad about myself for not having
paid better attention and noticing the content of the
frozen meal.
I would constantly think about what I had for lunch
and how I overate.
Spending - Scenario 1**
Imagine you've been saving to buy a new IPod.
All your friends have one, and you've wanted
one for some time now. There's no way your
regular budget would allow you to purchase one,
and it's quite a stretch to buy one at all. Still,
you've squirreled away $150 over the last few
weeks, and almost have enough money to buy
your IPod. One day you find yourself walking
around the mall with friends, and before you
know it, you've spent over $150 on new clothes.
Obviously, this money came from your savings
for the IPod, as you cannot afford this kind of
spending from your monthly budget. So your
savings budget is totally blown. As you prepare
to leave the mall, you see this great pair of pants
for $50. You really need new pants, and this is
just the pair you've been looking for. You debate
whether to spend another $50 and buy the pants
or not.
Spending – Scenario 2**
Imagine you have a preset monthly budget. You
have already gone out this month more than you
had planned and have spent more money on eating
out than you had budgeted. Your friends have just
invited you to join them for dinner at a local
restaurant. You know your budget is blown, but
you also know it will be great fun to hang out with
everyone and eat out.
You debate whether or not to join them.
Items
I would think that since the Ipod savings are
gone, what is another $50? I may as well just
get the pants.
Now that I have spent my savings and the Ipod is
a lost cause, I might as well go ahead and also
get the pants that I like.
My goal to purchase the Ipod is no longer
possible so there is no point in trying to save
now.
I would keep thinking about how I spent the
money I had saved on clothes instead of the Ipod
I was originally saving up for.
I would feel guilty for spending the money I
saved for the Ipod.
Items
I would think that my budget goal already has no
chance of being met, so why not enjoy myself at
dinner?
I would think that since I have already gone over
budget, I may as well go and enjoy a good dinner.
I would feel upset that I spent my savings so
easily.
I would think about how irresponsible I would
feel if I were to buy the pants.
I would feel irresponsible for having spent my
Ipod money on clothes.
I would keep thinking about the amount of
money I just blew on clothes.
I would think that since I am already over budget
for the month, I may as well enjoy the dinner.
I would keep thinking how I already went over my
budget for that month.
I would feel guilty for thinking about spending yet
more money on eating out when I have already
spend all the money I had budgeted for it.
I would feel frustrated that I spent all my money for
the month.
I would feel financially irresponsible when I think
about going to dinner with my friends.
I would feel irresponsible for having already spent
more money than I had planned for the month.
My thoughts would focus on the amount of money
I spent eating out this month.
Spending - Scenario 3
You've been on a tight budget lately, trying to
manage your expenses. It is the middle of the
month, and you are quite happy as it seems your
budget for the month is finally balancing out.
Then, unexpectedly, two checks you had
previously written (total worth of $900) are
cashed. You had totally forgotten about these
checks, and now that they've been cashed, you
won't meet your budget goals for the month.
Just as you are looking at your bank account
statement online, your friends call saying they
scored tickets to an upcoming football game.
The tickets are $40 each and are quite tempting.
You debate whether or not to buy the ticket and
go to the game that night.
Items
Since I'm already over budget, I would think I
may as well go and enjoy the game.
Since I already went over my budget, I may as
well go to the game.
I already went over my budget for the month so
there is no point in trying to save now.
I just would not be able to stop thinking about
those checks.
I would feel very guilty for not having kept good
track of my finances.
I would feel pressured and stressed about having
forgotten the $900.
I would feel that if I went to the game it would
be irresponsible of me.
I would feel irresponsible for forgetting about
the $900.
I would keep dwelling on how I could have
missed those checks for $900.
Cheating – Scenario 1
Imagine that you are in class completing a test. This
test is very important to you and will determine a
significant portion of your grade. The professor is
absent, and in his stead is a teaching assistant. The
exam begins.
You start working on the first page of the exam,
answering your questions using your study notes.
Suddenly, you look around and realize that this
exam is "closed book" and you should not have
your notes. The teaching assistant does not seem to
know this or to notice.
You've already accidentally cheated on the first few
items of the exam. However, you debate whether to
keep your notes out and use them to answer the rest
of the exam, or to tuck them away, and complete
the exam in accordance with the requirements.
Items
I would think that since my materials had been used
for some of the answers, I may as well just go
ahead and use them for the rest.
I would think that I have already cheated on the
exam, so there is no point in trying to be honest on
the rest of it.
I would think that since I had already cheated on
some of the questions, I may as well just go ahead
and cheat on the rest.
I just would not be able to stop thinking about how
I am being dishonest about those first few
questions.
I would feel very guilty for having cheated on the
first few answers to the exam.
I would feel pressured and stressed about having
used not-allowed materials for the first few answers
on the exam.
I would feel that if I continued to use my materials
that would be very dishonest of me.
I would feel irresponsible for using non-allowed
materials for those first few questions.
I would keep dwelling on how I had cheated on
those first few items.
Cheating – Scenario 2**
Imagine that you were completing an exam in class.
The exam is very important, and will significantly
affect your grade. The professor hands out all the
materials for the exam and the exam begins.
After a few minutes, you notice that the teacher has
accidentally given you a copy of the exam with not
only the questions, but also the answers. You
accidentally see the correct answers to the first few
items on the exam that are on the first page. You
know that you will now be able to get those first
few questions correctly, even if you will not be as
honest as you would like.
You have already accidentally cheated on the first
few questions on the exam. However, you debate
whether to put the document aside, and complete
the rest of the exam on your own, or to continue
cheating by flipping to the following pages of the
exam, to learn the answers to the rest of the
questions.
Items
I would think that since some of the answers were
already used, I may as well just go ahead and use
the rest.
I would think that I have already cheated on the
exam, so there is no point in trying to be honest on
the rest of it.
I would think that since I had already cheated on
some of the questions, I may as well just go ahead
and cheat on the rest.
I just would not be able to stop thinking about how
I am being dishonest about those first few
questions.
I would feel very guilty for having cheated on the
first few answers to the exam.
I would feel pressured and stressed about having
copied the first few answers on the exam.
I would feel that if I continued to look at the
answers to the exam, that would be very dishonest
of me.
I would feel irresponsible for copying the answers
for those first few questions.
I would keep dwelling on how I had cheated on
those first few items.
Cheating – Scenario 3**
Imagine that you are working on a project. It is a
case that the professor has given to you in class. As
you are researching the project online, you find
some really relevant information that helps you
figure out the first question for the case.
After some further research, you find out that the
materials you were using were from a case solution
of a former student that was accidentally posted
online. You basically copied the first answer from
another student's paper.
You have already accidentally cheated on the first
question of the case. However, you debate whether
to continue using materials from this website to
complete your assignment by copying someone
else's work, or to stop looking at those materials,
and complete the rest of the work on your own.
I would think that since the answers had been used,
I may as well just go ahead and use the rest.
I would think that I have already cheated on the
first answer there is no point in trying to be honest
on the rest of the assignment.
I would think that since I had already cheated on
one of the questions, I may as well just go ahead
and copy the information from the other student on
the rest of the questions.
I just would not be able to stop thinking about how
I copied someone else's work and was dishonest
about the first question.
I would feel very guilty for cheating on the first
question.
I would feel pressured and stressed about having
copied the first answer on the case.
I would feel that if I continued to look at the
answers to the case, that would be very dishonest of
me.
I would feel irresponsible for copying the answer to
the first question.
I would keep dwelling on how my answer on that
first question was dishonest.
Scoring:. Create an average of each item across all relevant scenarios. Average the first three
items to create the score for Factor 1. Average the last six items (highlighted) to create the score
for Factor 2. Subtract Factor 2 score from Factor 1 score to create the final RTF-score. A higher
score indicates a greater tendency to reduce goal-efforts following failure. A short form can be
used, utilizing 2 scenarios per domain. Scenarios marked ** are part of the short form for each
domain.