Howell, J. L., & Shepperd, J. A. (2016). Establishing an Information Avoidance Scale. Psychological Assessment, 28 (12), 1695-1708.

Use: 
The information avoidance scale is free to use for research purposes. Please contact Jennifer Howell if you have any questions.

Scale:

Researchers should fill in the blanks to fit the type of information avoidance they wish to assess (e.g., “my diabetes risk,” “information about my health,” “whether my significant other is cheating on me”).

  1. I would rather not know                       .
  2. I would avoid learning                       .1
  3. Even if it will upset me, I want to know                       (R). 1
  4. When it comes to                       , [sometimes] ignorance is bliss.2
  5. I want to know                        (R).
  6. I can think of situations in which I would rather not know                       .
  7. It is important to know                        (R).
  8. I want to know                        immediately (R).

Notes: R = reverse coded.
1 Item included in the two-item version of the scale
2 For item 4, “sometimes” is optional and should be included if it makes sense to do so.