ORAIS Scoring Key
ITEMS OF THE OREGON AVOCATIONAL INTEREST SCALES, SORTED BY SCALE
All items are +keyed
Being Alone (6 items [Alpha = .73])
23.	Ate dinner alone.
49.	Went to the movies alone.
88.	Went to a concert or theater alone.
121.	Chose to spend a day by myself.
153.	Went on a trip by myself.
184.	Spent an entire vacation by myself.
Child-Related (6 items [.86])
14.	Played with a child.
47.	Let a child win a game.
79.	Took a child on an outing.
112.	Served as a baby sitter.
140.	Read a story to a child.
175.	Read the comics to a child.
Collecting (5 items [.84])
31.	Worked on my collection.
64.	Bought something for my collection.
89.	Traded something in my collection.
136.	Read a book about the things that I collect.
161.	Bought a book about the things that I collect.
Computing (6 items [.89])
3.	Used a computer.
34.	Sent a message by electronic mail (e-mail).
60.	Surfed the Internet.
80.	Read news on the Internet.
93.	Played a computer game.
132.	Looked up information on the Internet.
Creativity (7 items [.69])
17.	Tried something completely new.
50.	Produced a work of art.
82.	Wrote poetry.
115.	Acted in a play.
147.	Painted a picture.
178.	Played a musical instrument.
200.	Sang or played an instrument in public.
Culture (6 items [.82])
7.	Attended a public lecture.
40.	Visited an art exhibition.
72.	Visited a museum.
105.	Attended a ballet performance.
137.	Attended an opera or a concert.
169.	Attended a stage play or musical.
Drinking (5 items [.84])
27.	Drank beer or wine.
62.	Drank whiskey, vodka, gin, or other hard liquor.
92.	Drank in a bar or night club.
125.	Became intoxicated.
157.	Had a hangover.
Exercise (7 items [.85])
6.	Went running or jogging.
39.	Lifted weights.
71.	Used an exercise machine.
104.	Exercised for 40 minutes or longer.
129.	Did aerobic exercise.
168.	Did yoga or other movement exercises.
196.	Participated in an exercise program.
Fashion (5 items [.76])
29.	Spent more than 10 minutes thinking about what to wear.
67.	Spent more than an hour thinking about what to wear.
94.	Read a fashion-related magazine.
127.	Read a fashion-related book.
159.	Bought a fashionable item of clothing.
Financial (6 items [.75])
16.	Obtained stock market prices.
56.	Read a book on a financial topic.
81.	Bought or sold stocks or bonds.
114.	Bought or sold real estate.
146.	Purchased a commodity as an investment.
177.	Worked on a retirement plan.
Food-Related (7 items [.64])
24.	Chewed gum.
57.	Ate candy.
96.	Ate in a restaurant.
122.	Ordered food to be delivered.
154.	Ate food while walking or working.
185.	Ate too much.
204.	Ate or drank while driving.
Gambling (6 items [.79])
37.	Played bingo for money.
69.	Gambled with cards or dice.
102.	Purchased a scratch ticket.
134.	Gambled on a slot machine or video poker game.
166.	Went to a casino.
198.	Bet money on a sports event.
Game-Playing (5 items [.65])
54.	Worked on a jigsaw puzzle.
86.	Played cards.
119.	Played a board game.
151.	Played chess or checkers.
182.	Learned a new board or card game.
Gardening (6 items [.85])
9.	Cared for a potted plant.
42.	Gardened.
74.	Did yard work.
107.	Planted or transplanted a plant.
139.	Bought or picked flowers.
171.	Bought plants for a garden or yard.
Green Activities (7 items [.52])
22.	Used public transportation.
55.	Composted food scraps or yard waste.
87.	Walked or rode a bicycle to work.
120.	Changed a habit to have less impact on the environment.
152.	Used both sides of a piece of paper before discarding it.
192.	Picked up litter.
203.	Recycled one or more items.
Housekeeping (7 items [.75])
5.	Washed dishes.
38.	Made a bed.
70.	Cleaned the house.
103.	Ironed linens or clothes.
135.	Cooked a meal.
167.	Baked a cake, pie, cookies, or bread.
191.	Knitted, quilted, sewed, or crocheted.
Music (8 items [.77])
1.	Listened to music on the radio.
32.	Listened to music while working.
65.	Downloaded music from the Internet.
97.	Traded music with a friend.
130.	Purchased a musical album.
162.	Shopped in a music store.
183.	Read music-related news.
207.	Used an mp3 player or Ipod.
Partying (5 items [.82])
13.	Had someone over for dinner.
46.	Went to a small party.
78.	Went to a large party.
111.	Planned a party.
143.	Entertained six or more people.
Pets (5 items [.84])
28.	Played with a pet animal.
52.	Fed a pet animal.
84.	Cared for a pet animal.
117.	Bathed or groomed a pet animal.
149.	Purchased a pet animal.
Political/Organizational (7 items [.70])
18.	Signed a petition.
51.	Attended a rally or demonstration.
83.	Donated money to charity.
116.	Donated money to a political campaign or cause.
144.	Volunteered for a club or organization.
188.	Attended a town meeting.
201.	Wrote a letter to a newspaper or politician.
Reading (5 items [.xx])
113.	Read a book.
176.	Bought a book.
199.	Read in bed before going to sleep.
209.	Read an entire book in one sitting.
208.	Visited a public library.
Religious/Spiritual Practices (7 items [.89])
2.	Discussed religion or spirituality.
33.	Prayed (not including blessings at meals).
66.	Read the Bible or other sacred text.
98.	Gave a blessing at a meal.
131.	Attended a church or religious service.
163.	Listened to a religious program on the radio or TV.
193.	Read a book about religion or spirituality.
Romance (6 items [.57])
20.	Wrote a love letter.
53.	Went on a date.
85.	Went dancing.
118.	Dined by candle light.
150.	Attended a formal dance.
181.	Wore formal clothing.
Self-Improvement (5 items [.66])
63.	Read a self-help book.
95.	Bought a self-help book.
128.	Studied some subject.
160.	Learned a new skill.
190.	Enrolled in a course of study.
Shopping (7 items [.66])
19.	Spent 10 minutes or more in a non-grocery store.
61.	Spent an hour or more in a non-grocery store.
99.	Bought something other than groceries.
126.	Checked the sales ads in a newspaper.
158.	Read newspaper ads for non-grocery items.
179.	Shopped on the web.
206.	Used eBay to buy or sell something.
Social-Networking (5 items [.69])
10.	Used a computer for social networking.
43.	Read someone’s personal web-page.
75.	Made an entry on a personal web-page.
108.	Participated in an online discussion group.
148.	Used instant messaging to chat online.
Sports (6 items [.79])
4.	Discussed sports.
35.	Watched a televised sports event.
68.	Attended an athletic event.
100.	Played a team sport.
133.	Played basketball.
165.	Played tennis or golf.
Summer Activities (7 items [.74])
11.	Went on a picnic.
44.	Went on a hike.
76.	Walked on a beach.
109.	Went swimming.
141.	Went backpacking or camping.
173.	Went boating or rafting.
194.	Went fishing or hunting.
Travel (6 items [.79])
8.	Took a trip.
41.	Went sightseeing.
73.	Took travel photographs.
106.	Stayed in a hotel, motel, or resort.
138.	Traveled by train or plane.
170.	Went on a cruise or tour.
TV (7 items [.61])
25.	Watched television.
58.	Watched television news.
90.	Watched a television soap opera.
123.	Watched a television talk show.
155.	Watched a television reality show.
186.	Recorded a television program.
205.	Watched too much television.
Understanding (6 items [.61])
15.	Read a news magazine.
30.	Watched an educational channel on TV.
36.	Looked up a word in a dictionary.
48.	Read the editorial page of a newspaper.
101.	Looked something up in an encyclopedia.
145.	Read poetry.
Vehicles (4 items [.50])
59.	Rode a motorcycle.
91.	Read a car magazine or book.
124.	Bought a car, truck or motorcycle.
156.	Raced a car, truck or motorcycle.
Writing/Remembering (7 items [.69])
12.	Made an entry in a diary or journal.
45.	Wrote a postcard.
77.	Wrote a handwritten letter.
82.	Wrote poetry.
110.	Wrote a thank-you note.
142.	Put pictures in a photo album.
174.	Worked on a scrap book.
Note. Not all items from the ORAIS survey were retained in the scales.
For further information about the ORAIS scales, see the chapter by Goldberg (2010).
Goldberg, L. R. (2010). Personality, demographics, and self-reported behavioral acts: The development of avocational interest scales from estimates of the amount of time spent in interest-related activities. In C. R. Agnew, D. E. Carlston, W. G. Graziano, & J. R. Kelly (Eds.), Then a miracle occurs: Focusing on behavior in social psychological theory and research (pp. 205-226). New York: Oxford University Press.
Return to Multiple Constructs