Nemanick and Munz (1994) administered both the AD-ACL and the PANAS (Watson et al., 1998) to university
students. They carried out a principal components analysis, with oblique rotation, and extracted two components
suggesting convergence across instruments. One dimension was defined by positive affect, energy and low tired-
ness, the other by negative affect, tension and low calmness. The two dimensional structure may also be repre-
sented as a circumplex ( Huelsman, Furr, & Nemanick 2003 ).Huelsman, Nemanick, and Munz (1998) sampled
adjectives from the AD-ACL, PANAS and other mood scales and found evidence for a four-factor solution.
A confirmatory factor analysis ( Gregg & Shepherd, 2009 ) sampled 20 mood descriptive adjectives in 309 British
respondents. Age range was 17 to 65 years with a mean of 29.0 years and 67% of the sample was female. Fit was
maximized for a four-factor model, with factors of positive energy, tiredness, negative arousal, and relaxation,
corresponding to the four-dimensional structure of the AD-ACL.
Criterion/Predictive
Thayer (1978) cited several studies suggesting individuals scoring high on Energetic Arousal perform better on
cognitive performance tasks requiring memory and attention. Dickman (2002) reported that wakefulness was
associated with greater accuracy on a reading comprehension task, whereas vigor showed a curvilinear relation-
ship with accuracy. The AD-ACL has also been used in research on circadian rhythms. Both Energetic Arousal
and Tense Arousal vary systematically across the course of the day, with peaks around midday ( Thayer, 1978 ).
Koˇs´cec and Rado¸ seviˇc-Vida ˇcek (2004) investigated intra-individual variation in arousal across a 26-hour period.
Energetic Arousal correlated with temperature (.45), and Tense Arousal correlated with faster response latency
(2.17), on a vigilance task.
Location
Thayer, R.E. (1986). Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD ACL): Current overview and structural
analysis . Psychological Reports, 58 , 607/C0614.
Thayer, R.E. (1989). The biopsychology of mood and arousal . New York: Oxford University Press.
Results and Comments
Although the AD-ACL is based on a factorial model, the selection of adjectives for each scale has been
debated. There is also some uncertainty as to whether two bipolar factors should be preferred over four unipolar
factors ( Dickman, 2002; Gregg & Shepherd, 2009 ). There are also numerous experimental studies demonstrating
the sensitivity of the AD-ACL to various arousing and de-arousing agents as well as to biological circadian
rhythms. The AD-ACL has also been shown to correlate with psychophysiological arousal indices. However, its
nomological network in relation to other arousal and arousability constructs has not been fully explored. While
Thayer’s (1989) theory proposes variation in the relationship between Energetic Arousal and Tense Arousal,
according to context, the psychometric implications of this variation have yet to be determined. The AD-ACL is
also limited in its focus on arousal states, excluding other dimensions of mood.
ACTIVATION /C0DEACTIVATION ADJECTIVE
C H E C KL I S T( S H O R TF O R M )
Each of the words on the back describes feelings or mood. Please use the rating scale next to each word to
describe your feelings at this moment.
Examples
Work rapidly, but please mark all the words. Your first reaction is best. This should take only a minute or two.
relaxed vv v ? no If you circle the double check ( vv) it means that you definitely feel relaxed at
the moment .
relaxed vv v ? no If you circle the single check ( v) it means that you feel slightly relaxed at
the moment .
relaxed vv v ? no If you circled the question mark ( ?) it means that the word does not apply
or you cannot decide if you feel relaxed at the moment .
relaxed vv v ? no If you circled the ( no) it means that you are definitely not relaxed at the moment .
(Back page)213 OVERVIEW OF THE MEASURES
II. EMOTIONAL DISPOSITIONS