This exploratory study was an attempt to understand the types of affective learning. The study focused on beginning students who were enrolled in apparel construction/sewing laboratory in community colleges within Los Angeles and Ventura counties during the spring of 2009 (n = 155). The primary purpose of the study was to develop scales that would measure the multiple levels of the affective domain and perceived self-efficacy of student participation in class. The relationships among the scales were investigated. Other scales were developed to measure related variables such as how comfortable students felt participating in class, the students’ sense of community, the students overall feelings and general satisfaction with the class, the quality of student work done for the class and the students’ attitude toward the class. Factor analysis was used to assess the conceptual validity of each scale. All scales were valid and reliable.

Bloom’s Taxonomy of the affective domain was used as the basis to create scales to measure the five different hierarchical levels of the affective domain: receiving, responding, valuing, organization, and characterization. Self-efficacy scales were based upon existing scales grounded in the work of Bandura.

Illeris’ adult learning theory was used to frame the study. In this theory the affective domain works with the cognitive domain when adults internalize knowledge. There is also a social interaction process that has to occur during adult learning. Illeris’s theory was supported by the results of this study, as evidenced by some students reaching high scores on the organization and characterization levels of the affective domain, indicating internalization of knowledge.

Other findings included high scores for comfort in class participation, but only average scores related to feeling a sense of community. Student's overall feelings and general satisfaction with the class were high. This sample judged the quality of their work and their attitude toward the class to be high. Pearson correlations revealed moderate and strong relationships between most variables. In general, the findings strongly support Bandura’s work in self-efficacy and make a case for including affective domain outcomes in community college apparel construction/sewing laboratory classes.