Development of a Comparison Level Scale for the College Test-Taking Situation

A comparison level scale (CLS) for the college test-taking situation was developed. Results showed that the CLS (1) correlated positively and significantly with students' choice of comparison level in the classroom-related experimental situation, (2) correlated positively and significantly with a more general achievement motivation scale, (3) related significantly more strongly to performance on a classroom-type verbal learning task than a general achievement scale, (4) predicted experimental classroom-related performance beyond that which would be expected because of aptitude, and (5) related most strongly to self-reported attention during the experimental classroom-related situation.