Homophily Scales (Old version)

Abstract

The Homophily Scales (Old version) were developed by McCroskey, Richmond, and Daly in 1974 and 1975 to measure an individual’s perception of similarity, or homophily, with a specified target person. This instrument is foundational in the field of interpersonal communication research, particularly in assessing how perceived similarity affects communication effectiveness, credibility, and interpersonal attraction. The original scales were divided into two primary dimensions: Attitude Homophily and Background Homophily, each initially comprising four items structured as 7-point Semantic Differential scales.

While subsequent research by the authors led to refined and expanded versions of the homophily measure, the “Old version” remains significant as it established the initial conceptualization and measurement approach for this critical communication construct. The scales operate by requiring participants to rate a target individual (e.g., a teacher, colleague, or friend) across a series of bipolar adjectives related to shared characteristics, beliefs, and experiences.

Keywords

Homophily, perceived similarity, interpersonal communication, scale development, communication measurement, attitude homophily, background homophily, psychological scale, McCroskey.

Authors

James C. McCroskey, Virginia P. Richmond, John A. Daly

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Homophily Scales is to quantify the degree of perceived similarity between a rater and a specific target individual across various domains. In communication theory, homophily—the tendency of individuals to associate and bond with others similar to themselves—is a key predictor of source credibility and message effectiveness. By measuring perceived homophily, researchers can better understand why certain communication exchanges are successful or unsuccessful, particularly in contexts like education, persuasion, and social interaction.

The scale was explicitly designed to separate homophily into distinct components, recognizing that similarity in background (e.g., demographics, social status) might operate differently from similarity in attitudes (e.g., beliefs, values) when influencing communication outcomes. This distinction allows for a nuanced analysis of how different types of similarity contribute to relational development and communication satisfaction.

Construct

The scale measures the psychological construct of Perceived Homophily. This construct is defined as the extent to which a communicator believes they are similar to their communication partner. Unlike objective homophily (which relies on verifiable demographic matches), perceived homophily is subjective and relational, focusing on the cognitive assessment of similarity by the rater.

The instrument is structurally divided into two sub-constructs, based on the original 1974 conceptualization:

• Attitude Homophily: Measures perceived similarity regarding internal states, beliefs, values, and behavioral tendencies (e.g., thinking and behaving alike). This dimension reflects psychological alignment.
• Background Homophily: Measures perceived similarity regarding external, demographic, or experiential factors (e.g., social class, status, cultural experiences, economic situation). This dimension reflects shared contextual experiences.

Validity

Initial research on the scale focused heavily on establishing construct validity, demonstrating that perceived homophily functioned as predicted in communication models. Studies, including those cited by the authors in 1975, found that high levels of perceived homophily were positively correlated with measures of source credibility and interpersonal attraction. This correlation supports the scale’s ability to measure a construct central to communication theory.

Furthermore, subsequent research using expanded versions of the scale (such as the 1999 and 2006 studies listed in the references) continued to validate its utility by showing significant relationships between perceived homophily and outcomes like student ratings of instructors’ immediacy, verbal aggressiveness, and overall relational satisfaction, reinforcing its predictive and concurrent validity within academic and relational settings.

Reliability

Although specific Cronbach’s alpha scores for the minimal 4-item “Old version” sub-scales are typically detailed in the original research paper (McCroskey et al., 1974), the overall measurement paradigm established high internal consistency. The subsequent, expanded versions of the Homophily Scales consistently report strong internal reliability (often exceeding the standard cutoff of .70), suggesting that the items within both the Attitude and Background sub-scales cohere effectively to measure their intended latent constructs. The use of the Semantic Differential format, which leverages bipolar adjectives, is designed to enhance the reliability of subjective perception ratings.

Factor Analysis

The initial development of the scale was guided by factor analysis, which supported the delineation of the construct into the two distinct factors: Attitude and Background Homophily. This factor structure confirms that while all items relate to overall similarity, they load onto separate factors depending on whether they measure internal beliefs or external status/experience. This two-factor solution provided a robust empirical foundation for the scale, confirming the theoretical separation proposed by the researchers regarding the different ways similarity impacts communication.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report/Perceptual Measurement Scale

Format: 7-point Semantic Differential Scale

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: General population, often applied in educational and organizational settings.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically used with college student samples in initial studies).

Population Details: Participants are asked to rate a specific person (the referent) based on the degree of similarity or difference they perceive between themselves and that person.

Test Methodology: Participants respond by circling a number (1 through 7) along a continuum anchored by opposing adjectives or phrases (e.g., “Is like me” vs. “Is unlike me”). The scale is ipsative as it measures perceptions relative to the self.

Keywords

Communication research, perceived similarity, attitude scale, background scale, psychological measurement, McCroskey, communication theory, interpersonal attraction.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not available in source content)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not available in source content)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not available in source content)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original conceptualization and instrument were developed in 1974 and 1975. The instrument is generally considered available for non-commercial academic research use, often accessible via the primary author’s professional website. The original PDF of the 1974 conference paper detailing the instrument can be downloaded here: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED094433.pdf.

Reference’s

The following references detail the development and application of the Homophily Scales:

• McCroskey, J. C., Richmond, V. P., & Daly, J. A. (1974). Toward the Measurement of Perceived Homophily in Interpersonal Communication. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Communication Association (New Orleans, April 17-20). The original PDF document is available here: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED094433.pdf.
• McCroskey, J. C., Richmond, V. P., & Daly, J. A. (1975). The development of a measure of perceived homophily in interpersonal communication. Human Communication Research, 1(4), 323-332.
• Rocca, K. A. & McCroskey, J. C. (1999). The interrelationship of student ratings of instructors’ immediacy, verbal aggressiveness, homophily, and interpersonal attraction. Communication Education, 48, 308-316.
• McCroskey, L. L., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (2006). Analysis and improvement of the measurement of interpersonal attraction and homophily. Communication Quarterly, 54(1), 1-31. The PDF detailing further analysis can be found here: http://www.jamescmccroskey.com/publications/214.pdf.

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Items of the Homophily Scales (Old version)

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

The research instrument includes a larger set of items used in measurement development:

Scoring Instructions:

Numbers 1 and 7 indicate a very strong feeling. Numbers 2 and 6 indicate a strong feeling. Numbers 3 and 5 indicate a fairly weak feeling. Number 4 indicates that you are unsure or undecided.

Scoring:

Add the numbers you circled for each measure separately.

Scores for each concept must be between 4 and 28 (for the 4-item sub-scales).