Social Distance Scale

Abstract

The Social Distance Scale was developed by Harry C. Triandis and Leigh Minturn Triandis in 1960. Its primary function is to measure how factors such as race, religion, nationality, and social class influence an individual’s perception of social distance. The instrument comprises 15 items focusing on these critical demographic variables. It was initially utilized in a study involving college students to gauge their acceptance toward various social objects. The original investigation collected extensive demographic data, including the students’ sex, race, religion, ethnic background, and parental socioeconomic status.

Statistical analysis confirmed the scale’s unidimensionality, demonstrating high internal consistency. The correlation between items averaged .855, a strong indicator of cohesion, which was further supported by Fisher Zs yielding a mean correlation of r = .88.

Keywords

Nationality, Prejudice, Race, Religion, Social Class, Social Distance Scale, Test Reliability, Racial and Ethnic Relations, Social Processes

Authors

Triandis, Harry C., Triandis, Leigh Minturn

Purpose

The central purpose of the Social Distance Scale is to systematically quantify and assess the relative influence of key sociological variables—specifically race, religion, nationality, and social class—as primary determinants shaping perceived social distance among individuals. This allows researchers to understand the hierarchy of acceptance or rejection based on these socio-demographic categories.

Construct

The scale measures the psychological and sociological construct of Social Distance. This construct refers to the degree of closeness or acceptance an individual feels towards members of specific social, ethnic, or demographic groups. It is often used as an indicator of potential prejudice, reflecting the level of acceptance an individual demonstrates in various interpersonal and group settings.

Validity

In the initial publication documenting the development of the scale (Triandis & Triandis, 1960), formal evidence regarding specific construct validity or criterion validity was not explicitly indicated or reported. While the authors confirmed the scale’s internal consistency, suggesting its unidimensionality, researchers should note the absence of formal validity metrics in the original source material. Subsequent research utilizing the scale may have established validity in various contexts.

Reliability

The Social Distance Scale demonstrates strong internal Reliability. The consistency of the instrument was confirmed through item-to-item correlations, which exhibited a broad range from .69 to .96, indicating strong item relatedness. The overall average inter-item correlation achieved a high score of .855. Furthermore, the application of the Fisher Z transformation technique resulted in a highly consistent mean correlation of r = .88, statistically supporting the scale’s ability to consistently measure the target construct of social distance.

Factor Analysis

According to the initial documentation provided by Triandis and Triandis, no formal Factor Analysis (such as Exploratory Factor Analysis or Confirmatory Factor Analysis) was explicitly conducted or reported for the 15-item scale. However, the high inter-item correlations and strong reliability statistics were used by the authors to support the assertion of the scale’s unidimensionality, meaning the items are presumed to measure a single, coherent underlying construct.

Instrument

Test Type: Rating Scale

Format: A 100-point scale

Language Available: English (Original Administration)

Population Group: Undergraduates in the United States

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older)

Population Details: The initial study focused on university students, gathering extensive demographic information including sex, race, religion, ethnic background, and parental occupation/education.

Test Methodology: Test Reliability assessment; Administration was conducted via paper format.

Keywords

Social Distance, Prejudice, Nationality, Social Class, Racial Relations, Interpersonal Relationships, Rating Scale, Unidimensionality.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Not provided in source)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Not provided in source)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Not provided in source)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Social Distance Scale was first published and documented in 1960. The scale is generally available for use in academic Research and Teaching contexts. Specific information regarding publishing fees is not available, as the original publisher was not listed in the provided source documentation.

Reference’s

Triandis, H. C., & Triandis, L. M. (1960). Race, social class, religion, and nationality as determinants of social distance. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 61(1), 110–118. The original article includes a DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0041734

Items of the Social Distance Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The actual 15 test items comprising the Social Distance Scale are not available in the public domain according to the source documentation. Researchers wishing to obtain the complete set of items for replication or study must contact the original authors or the current publisher for permission and access.