Attitude Scales: Definition, History and Further Reading
Attitude scales are a type of psychological measurement tool designed to measure the attitude of an individual or group towards a particular concept or object. The term “attitude scale” is most commonly used to refer to a series of questions that are designed to measure the attitude of a person towards a particular object, concept, or behavior. Attitude scales provide researchers with a quantitative measure of attitudes, allowing for comparison between groups, as well as providing insight into the underlying cognitive processes involved in attitude formation.
The history of attitude scales dates back to the early 1900s, when researchers first began to develop methods for measuring attitudes. In 1921, Likert developed the “Likert Scale”, which is still widely used today. This scale is based on a series of statements that assess the degree to which an individual agrees or disagrees with a particular attitude. Since then, numerous other scales have been developed, including Thurstone’s “Thurstone Scale”, Guttman’s “Guttman Scale”, and the “Semantic Differential Scale”.
Attitude scales are widely used in research across a variety of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, education, and marketing. They are also used in clinical settings to assess attitudes towards mental health, substance use, and other health behaviors. Attitude scales are particularly useful for measuring attitudes in situations where people may be reluctant to express their opinions openly, or where the topic of discussion may be too sensitive for open discussion.
For further reading on attitude scales, please see the following articles:
van de Vijver, F. J. R., & Leung, K. (1997). Methods and data analysis for cross-cultural research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Krosnick, J. A., & Fabrigar, L. R. (1997). Attitude strength: Antecedents and consequences of attitude accessibility. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 29, 241-282.
Krosnick, J. A., & Petty, R. E. (1995). Attitude strength: An overview. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 49-65.
Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace.