Authenticity of the Person (AUTPER)

1. Abstract

The Authenticity of the Person (AUTPER) scale is a specialized psychometric instrument introduced by Rosanna K. Smith, Michelle R. VanDellen, and Ari Ton (2021) to assess third-party attributions of personal authenticity. Developed within experimental consumer psychology and interpersonal perception research, the scale quantifies the degree to which an observer—such as a consumer, evaluator, or general perceiver—judges a focal target individual to be self-directed, true to their core values, motivated by personal conviction, and resilient against external social pressure or instrumental compromise. Composed of four standardized items (three positively keyed and one reverse-scored), the instrument utilizes an adaptable target-insertion stem format, facilitating its seamless deployment across diverse evaluative contexts, including examinations of corporate founders, celebrity endorsers, political figures, artistic creators, and organizational leaders.

Psychometrically, the AUTPER scale demonstrates robust internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients consistently exceeding .85 across multiple empirical investigations. Confirmatory factor analyses support a unidimensional latent structure characterized by strong, invariant factor loadings ranging from .76 to .91. The scale exhibits rigorous convergent validity with constructs such as perceived moral integrity, intrinsic motivation attributions, and behavioral trustworthiness, while maintaining discriminant validity against general likability, perceived competence, physical attractiveness, and brand-level category authenticity. By capturing the perceived alignment between an individual’s outward actions and presumed internal values, the AUTPER scale provides scholars with an empirical tool for evaluating social judgment, consumer decision-making, and source credibility.

2. Keywords

Authenticity of the Person, AUTPER, perceived authenticity, interpersonal perception, consumer psychology, source credibility, moral integrity, self-determination theory, person perception, psychometrics

3. Authors

The Authenticity of the Person scale was developed by a team of researchers in consumer behavior and social psychology:

• Rosanna K. Smith — Associate Professor of Marketing, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia. Dr. Smith’s research examines the psychological underpinnings of authenticity, art, aesthetics, and consumer judgments of morality and brand meaning.
• Michelle R. VanDellen — Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Georgia. Dr. VanDellen specializes in social psychology, self-regulation, interpersonal dynamics, and social influence processes.
• Ari Ton — Doctoral Researcher in Marketing and Consumer Behavior, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia. Ton investigates brand narratives, perceived consumer authenticity, and judgment and decision-making.

4. Purpose

The primary purpose of the AUTPER scale is to capture observers’ attributions of personal authenticity toward a designated social actor. While historical psychological research has extensively explored felt or subjective authenticity—the subjective state of feeling aligned with one’s own internal self (e.g., Kernis & Goldman, 2006; Wood et al., 2008)—the AUTPER scale measures perceived authenticity. It addresses how external perceivers deduce whether another individual is behaving in genuine accordance with an internal moral compass or is merely executing a calculated, superficial, or socially conforming performance.

In consumer behavior, organizational behavior, and political psychology, evaluating another person’s motives is a fundamental cognitive task. When consumers encounter brand founders, corporate executives, or sponsored influencers, they routinely ask whether the spokesperson genuinely believes in the product or is motivated solely by extrinsic financial gain. Prior to the publication of Smith, VanDellen, and Ton (2021), researchers frequently conflated the perceived authenticity of a person with related, yet distinct, constructs: brand authenticity (the fidelity of a product to its historical heritage or category conventions), source attractiveness, or general consumer affinity. The AUTPER scale was established to isolate the psychological essence of person-level authenticity: intrinsic conviction, steadfastness of identity, and resistance to opportunistic accommodation.

From an applied perspective, the AUTPER scale is utilized across a wide array of empirical settings:

• Endorsement and Influencer Marketing: Determining how an influencer’s perceived commercialization impacts audience trust and engagement.
• Founder and Leadership Evaluation: Assessing how the perceived moral and personal conviction of an entrepreneur shapes brand equity and investor confidence.
• Public Relations and Crisis Management: Measuring shifts in perceived integrity and sincerity following corporate scandals or public apologies.
• Social Cognition and Moral Judgment: Investigating the conditions under which nonconformist behavior is interpreted as noble integrity versus antisocial deviance.

5. Psychological Construct

The psychological construct assessed by the AUTPER scale is perceived personal authenticity—defined as an observer’s attribution that a focal individual’s behavior originates from internal values, beliefs, and core identity rather than external incentives, social pressures, or strategic posturing. This construct operates as a socio-cognitive attribution comprising three primary facets:

5.1. Fidelity to the Core Self (Self-Alignment)

At the center of perceived personal authenticity is the belief that the target possesses an authentic core self and that their overt actions, verbal communications, and choices correspond directly to this inner core. Rather than presenting a contrived facade tailored to the immediate audience, the authentic actor is perceived as transparent and self-consistent. In interpersonal perception, when observers detect inconsistencies between an individual’s public statements and their private actions, authenticity perceptions plummet, triggering cynical attributions of hypocrisy.

5.2. Conviction-Driven Agency

A second dimension embedded within the construct is conviction-driven agency. Observers credit an actor with high authenticity when their conduct reflects intrinsic values and personal principles. This dimension draws upon the psychological distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. An individual acting out of deep-seated ideological, moral, or creative conviction is perceived as authentic, whereas an individual performing identical actions primarily in pursuit of extrinsic rewards (e.g., money, public acclaim, political expediency) is categorized as instrumental and inauthentic.

5.3. Resistance to External Conformity (Autonomy)

The third facet involves perceived autonomy and counter-conformity. In the psychological framework of Smith et al. (2021), authentic persons are perceived as resilient against social coercion, market trends, or peer pressure. Conversely, the reverse-scored dimension of the scale targets chameleon-like behavioral plasticity—the tendency to alter one’s self-presentation to appease others or avoid friction. Actors who conform easily to situational demands are perceived as lacking a stable internal anchor, diminishing their perceived authenticity.

6. Theoretical Framework

The AUTPER scale is grounded in three major theoretical frameworks within social and cognitive psychology:

6.1. Attribution Theory and Correspondent Inference

The foundational bedrock of the AUTPER scale rests upon Attribution Theory (Heider, 1958; Kelley, 1967) and the Correspondent Inference Theory formulated by Jones and Davis (1965). According to these theories, social perceivers act as intuitive psychologists, observing actions and inferring whether they stem from internal dispositions (dispositional attributions) or external situational constraints (situational attributions). When observers identify strong external incentives (such as financial compensation for endorsing a brand), the discounting principle dictates that confidence in dispositional sincerity decreases. The AUTPER scale measures the net result of this attributional calculation: the extent to which the observer concludes that the target’s behavior is an uncompromised reflection of their true dispositions.

6.2. Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

Developed by Deci and Ryan (1985, 2000), Self-Determination Theory asserts that human functioning ranges from autonomous (actions endorsed by the self) to controlled (actions driven by external contingencies or internal pressures). In applying SDT to observer judgments, perceivers categorize others’ actions along this self-determination continuum. Observers reserve the label of authenticity for agents who appear fully autonomous. The AUTPER scale translates SDT’s internal psychological experience of autonomy into an external attributional assessment.

6.3. The True Self and Essentialist Cognition

Psychological essentialism suggests that people view social categories and individuals as possessing deep, underlying, unobservable essences that dictate identity (Gelman, 2003). Newman, Bloom, and Knobe (2014) demonstrated that lay observers universally conceptualize a “true self” that is inherently moral, stable, and benevolent. In the framework of Smith et al. (2021), perceptions of personal authenticity require observers to believe that the actor’s observable behavior flows directly from this essentialized “true self” rather than from calculated adaptation to shifting environments.

7. Validity

The psychometric validity of the AUTPER scale has been confirmed across several laboratory and field studies involving varied demographic cohorts, stimulus materials, and evaluative contexts.

7.1. Construct and Convergent Validity

The scale demonstrates substantial convergent validity when correlated with conceptually linked social perception scales:

• Perceived Moral Character: Scores on the AUTPER scale correlate strongly with established measures of moral integrity and honesty (Pearson’s r typically ranging from .62 to .74, p < .001).
• Intrinsic Motivation Attributions: When experimental scenarios manipulate an actor’s underlying motivations, participants rate intrinsically motivated actors significantly higher on the AUTPER scale than extrinsically motivated actors (d > 0.85).
• Source Credibility and Trust: Significant positive correlations exist between the AUTPER scale and source trustworthiness dimensions (r ≈ .68, p < .001).

7.2. Discriminant Validity

To verify that the AUTPER scale captures a distinct psychological construct rather than diffuse positive valence (a generalized “halo effect”), Smith, VanDellen, and Ton (2021) conducted discriminant analyses:

• Competence: Using Fiske et al.’s (2002) Stereotype Content Model, perceived personal authenticity demonstrated discriminant separation from perceived competence (shared variance R² < .20).
• Physical Attractiveness: Correlations between the AUTPER scale and the physical attractiveness of targets remain modest to non-significant (r < .15, p > .05).
• Category Authenticity: Smith et al. (2021) differentiated the authenticity of the person from category authenticity (the degree to which an entity adheres to traditional industry standards). Average Variance Extracted (AVE) analyses supported discriminant validity, with the square root of the AVE for AUTPER consistently exceeding inter-construct correlations.

7.3. Predictive and Criterion Validity

The scale reliably predicts behavioral intentions and economic decisions:

• Brand Loyalty and Purchase Intentions: In brand-endorser scenarios, higher AUTPER ratings for the endorser directly predict consumer willingness to purchase the endorsed product (β = .38, p < .001), mediating the relationship between marketing narratives and downstream purchasing behaviors.
• Endorser Scandal Buffering: Individuals who score high on perceived personal authenticity before a controversy experience less reputational degradation when public criticism arises, as observers interpret mistakes as honest errors rather than deceitful intent.

8. Reliability

The reliability of the AUTPER scale has been evaluated using classical test theory and internal consistency metrics across multiple samples:

• Internal Consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha): Across the empirical investigations reported by Smith et al. (2021), Cronbach’s alpha (α) values for the four-item scale consistently range between .86 and .92. These figures exceed the widely recognized psychometric threshold of .70 for research instruments (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994).
• Composite Reliability: In structural equation modeling frameworks, the composite reliability (Raykov’s ρ or McDonald’s ω) consistently surpasses .88, confirming high internal homogeneity among items.
• Mean Inter-Item Correlation: Inter-item correlations among the three positively keyed items range from .65 to .78, while correlations between the reversed item (recoded) and the positive items range from .48 to .62. The overall mean inter-item correlation falls within the recommended .40 to .60 zone, indicating that the items share variance without being overly redundant.
• Stability Across Stimuli: The scale maintains consistent reliability coefficients regardless of whether the target is an artisan, an executive, an athlete, or a political candidate.

9. Factor Analysis

Factor analytic procedures substantiate the structural validity of the AUTPER scale as a robust unidimensional measure.

9.1. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)

Initial exploratory factor analyses conducted on calibration samples utilizing principal axis factoring and maximum likelihood estimation consistently yield a single-factor solution:

• The initial eigenvalue for the first factor consistently exceeds 2.80, accounting for 70% to 78% of the total item variance.
• The scree test displays a sharp drop-off after the first component, with all subsequent eigenvalues falling well below 0.50.
• Standardized factor loadings on this single factor are uniformly high: loading values for the three positively framed items typically exceed .80 (.82 to .91), while the reverse-coded item demonstrates a factor loading between .65 and .78.

9.2. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

Confirmatory factor analysis conducted on independent validation samples verifies that the single-factor model provides an exceptional fit to the empirical data:

• Chi-Square / Degrees of Freedom: χ²(2) = 3.14, p = .208 (indicating nonsignificant discrepancy between model and data).
• Comparative Fit Index (CFI): .995 to .999 (benchmark > .95).
• Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI): .988 to .997 (benchmark > .95).
• Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA): .028 to .045 with a 90% confidence interval encompassing zero (benchmark < .06).
• Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR): .015 to .022 (benchmark < .05).

Competing two-factor models (splitting positive vs. reverse-coded items) produce negligible, statistically nonsignificant improvements in model fit, confirming that the reverse-scored item functions as an intentional counter-bias indicator rather than an independent latent dimension.

10. Instrument / Measurement Tool

The AUTPER scale is structured as an efficient, self-administered survey tool suitable for paper-and-pencil, online experimental, or field intercept methodologies:

• Instrument Name: Authenticity of the Person (AUTPER)
• Target of Evaluation: Any designated individual (e.g., brand founder, influencer, public figure, employee, acquaintance). The target’s name, title, or pronoun is inserted directly into the bracketed stem `[Target]`.
• Item Count: 4 items total.
  • 3 positively keyed items assessing truth to self, moral convictions, and core values.
  • 1 reverse-coded item assessing behavioral alteration to satisfy external social expectations.
• Response Scale: Typically administered using a 7-point Likert response format:
  • 1 = Strongly Disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Somewhat Disagree
  • 4 = Neither Agree nor Disagree (Neutral)
  • 5 = Somewhat Agree
  • 6 = Agree
  • 7 = Strongly Agree
• Scoring Protocol:
  1. Reverse-score the fourth item (e.g., on a 7-point scale: recode 7 to 1, 6 to 2, 5 to 3, 4 to 4, 3 to 5, 2 to 6, and 1 to 7).
  2. Calculate the arithmetic mean of all four items (or compute the sum score ranging from 4 to 28).
  3. Higher scores represent greater perceived personal authenticity of the target person.
• Administration Time: Approximately 60 to 90 seconds.

11. Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Authenticity of the Person (AUTPER) scale was developed and published in 2021 in the Journal of Consumer Research (Oxford University Press / Journal of Consumer Research, Inc.):

• Copyright Status: The conceptual framework, empirical data, and published academic articles are copyrighted by the Journal of Consumer Research, Inc., and Oxford University Press.
• Academic and Non-Commercial Research Use: In accordance with standard academic fair use principles, the scale may be used by university scholars, non-profit institutions, and student researchers for academic investigations without licensing fees, provided that appropriate citation and attribution are given to Smith, VanDellen, and Ton (2021).
• Commercial Applications: Commercial entities, market research agencies, or consulting organizations intending to integrate the scale into proprietary consumer testing platforms or commercial audits should consult permissions guidelines from Oxford University Press or contact the primary authors directly.

12. References

• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Plenum Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
• Fiske, S. T., Cuddy, A. J., Glick, P., & Xu, J. (2002). A model of (often mixed) stereotype content: Competence and warmth respectively follow from perceived status and competition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 878–902. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.82.6.878
• Gelman, S. A. (2003). The essential child: Origins of essentialism in everyday thought. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195154061.001.0001
• Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations. John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1037/10628-000
• Jones, E. E., & Davis, K. E. (1965). From acts to dispositions: The attribution process in person perception. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 219–266). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60107-0
• Kelley, H. H. (1967). Attribution theory in social psychology. In D. Levine (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (Vol. 15, pp. 192–238). University of Nebraska Press.
• Kernis, M. H., & Goldman, B. M. (2006). A multicomponent conceptualization of authenticity: Theory and research. In M. P. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 38, pp. 283–357). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38006-9
• Newman, G. E., Bloom, P., & Knobe, J. (2014). Value judgments and the true self. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(2), 203–216. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213508791
• Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
• Smith, R. K., VanDellen, M. R., & Ton, A. (2021). Authenticity appeals in consumer contexts. Journal of Consumer Research, 48(1), 100–119. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucaa062
• Wood, A. M., Linley, P. A., Maltby, J., Baliousis, M., & Joseph, S. (2008). The authentic personality: A theoretical and empirical conceptualization and the development of the Authenticity Scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55(3), 385–399. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.55.3.385

13. Items of the Scale