Assess psychological traits with a full sphere of descriptive adjectives
Harrison G. Gough & Alfred B. Heilbrun, Jr.
About the ACL 
* Standard ACL Products * Web-Based
Products * ACL for Research * ACL
Assessment Scales (brief) * Full ACL Standard
Scales * Uses of the ACL
The Adjective Checklist (ACL) consists of 300 adjectives and adjectival phrases commonly used to describe a person’s attributes. It may be administered to an individual to elicit a self-evaluation or a characterization of someone else; or it may be used by observers in a clinic, counseling center, research laboratory, or in marketing research as a convenient, standardized method for recording and generating meaning of personal attributes of clients, research subjects, products, or even cultures.
The ACL is unique in that the number of items checked is unspecified so that adjectives selected are ones that are salient for the person being evaluated. The variation in endorsement is itself viewed as a personality variable. In addition to a score on number of items checked, there are twenty-three other scales, on all of which the standard scores are adjusted according to the items that are endorsed; this adjustment removes the influence of acquiescence from the twenty-three measures. Administration time varies from ten to fifteen minutes.
Features of the ACL
- Measures thirty-seven traits and the salience of 300 adjectives
- Is flexible and multidimensional
- Available as both self rating and, soon to be, as a multi-rater
- Valid across cultures and includes a number of translations
- Easy to administer, requires ten to fifteen minutes to complete
- Extensively researched and validated
- See more about research and uses of the ACL
| ACL Manual/Sampler Set
Includes non-reproducible instrument and scoring key marked “sample” |
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$40.00 |  |
| ACL Reproduction Permission
Whether you order the paper form or the PDF/ electronic form, you will receive just one copy and written permission to reproduce/ administer the purchased number. Includes a copy of the instrument and scoring key - does not include Manual |
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| Quantity 1-100 permissions | |
$100.00 | |
| Quantity 101-150 permissions | |
$120.00 | |
| Quantity 151-200 permissions | |
$150.00 | |
| Quantity 201-300 permissions | |
$210.00 | |
| Quantity 301-400 permissions | |
$260.00 | |
| Quantity 401-500 permissions | |
$300.00 | |
| For larger quantities, please contact us | |||
Translations of this instrument are available. For a complete list of translations, along with more details on our translation policy, please visit our translations index page.
Standard ACL Profile
The standard profile includes the thirty-seven scales, standard scores and scale descriptions as well as the items checked
ACL  Web-Based Administration |
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| Individual Report |  |
$9.00 |
| Quantity 1-10 reports ($8 each) | |
$80.00 |
| Quantity 11-20 reports ($7 each) | |
$140.00 |
| Quantity 21-50 reports ($5 each) | |
$250.00 |
| Quantity 51-100 reports ($4 each) | |
$400.00 |
| For larger quantities, please contact us | ||
See a sample ACL report (pdf, 54kb)
ACL Data Collection for Research
Use the Mind Garden website to collect your ACL data. Item and gender data is delivered in an Excel spreadsheet.
| ACL Data Collection via Web-Based Administration |
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| Quantity 25 individuals ($1 each) |  |
$25.00 |
| Quantity 50 individuals ($1 each) | |
$50.00 |
| Quantity 75 individuals ($1 each) | |
$75.00 |
| Quantity 100 individuals ($1 each) | |
$100.00 |
| For larger quantities, please contact us | ||
Assessment Scales
The ACL offers a full sphere of psychological trait assessments. The Adjective Check List Standard Scales are (see full scale descriptions here):
Modus operandi
- Number Checked
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Communality
Need scales
- Achievement
- Dominance
- Endurance
- Order
- Intraception
- Nurturance
- Affiliation
- Heterosexuality
- Exhibition
- Autonomy
- Aggression
- Change
- Succorance
- Abasement
- Deference
Topical scales
- Counseling Readiness
- Self-Control
- Self-Confidence
- Personal Adjustment
- Ideal Self
- Creative Personality
- Military Leader
- Masculine
- Feminine
Transactional Analysis scales
- Critical Parent
- Nurturing Parent
- Adult
- Free Child
- Adapted Child
Origence-intellectence scales
- High Origence-Low Intellectence
- High Origence-High Intellectence
- Low Origence-Low Intellectence
- Low Origence-High Intellectence
Example Items
Directions: These pages contain a list of 300 adjectives. Please read through them quickly and check each one you would consider to be self-descriptive. Do not worry about duplications, contradictions, and so forth. Work quickly and do not spend too much time on any one adjective. Try to be frank, and check the adjectives which describe you as you really are, not as you would like to be. Be sure to continue through adjective number 300. |
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| 1. | absent-minded | 69. | distrustful | 137. | irresponsible |
| 2. | active | 70. | dominant | 138. | irritable |
| 3. | adaptable | 71. | dreamy | 139. | jolly |
| 4. | adventurous | 72. | dull | 140. | kind |
The ACL - Research & Uses 
The California Q-Sort for Adults & Children