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Every scene should produce a change in story values, which almost always means some change of state for the character. From the beginning of the scene to the end, the character should be more in love or less, more in danger or less, more tempted to sin, more moved to pity, more pained by rejection, more comforted by affection, than before. 

If there is no change in state, then you are just treading water. The train is in the station, not moving down the track. The passengers will be getting bored, their seat will be starting to feel uncomfortable, until the train starts to move again. 

At very least, therefore, the reader should understand the character's situation better, should perceive that they are more in love, more in danger, more tempted, moved, pained, or comforted than we realized they were, even if their state has not changed. But really, there is no reason to settle for this. You can always write a scene in which the reader learns of the extent of the readers situation because of how it changes, and that will always be a better scene. 

How much these changes advance the outward physical action of the plot is moot. The outward physical actions of the plot exist only to force these changes of state on the character anyway. If the character is changing states, and if there is a compelling vector to those changes of state, you have a compelling novel, action or no action.