Attitude Towards Education Scale

Abstract

The attitude towards education scale is a psychological instrument designed to capture the generalized, global attitude toward education. Similar to the construct of idealistic educational aspiration, this scale measures the strength of a positive disposition toward education and the degree to which respondents perceive higher educational attainment as an indispensable necessity or a value in itself. The theoretical foundation of the scale is rooted in the Model of Frame Selection (MdFS), which posits that educational decisions are based on two factors: (1) global, schematically organized attitudes, and (2) respondents’ instrumental values. The scale specifically targets the non-instrumental, inherent valuation of education, making it a critical tool for social and psychological research on educational behavior.

Keywords

Attitude, Education, Psychological Scale, Social Status, Educational Aspiration, Frame Selection Model, Germany

Authors

Dr. Volker Stocké

Purpose

The primary purpose of this scale construction was the development of a German-language instrument capable of measuring the generalized attitude toward education (Bildung). Following the theoretical framework of the Model of Frame Selection, the scale aims to assess the general evaluation of education by respondents, differentiating it from purely rational, instrumental motives (e.g., maximizing labor market returns).

The instrument captures the extent to which individuals view a high level of education as an intrinsic value, reflecting positive assessments of the individual skills and character traits associated with higher degrees, as well as their societal benefits. An additional item is included to measure the subjective certainty or cognitive strength of the respondent’s attitude, which is theorized to moderate the influence of attitudes on decision-making behavior.

Construct

The central construct measured is the Attitude towards Education (Bildung). This construct is conceptualized as a generalized, non-instrumental evaluation of education, distinguishing it from instrumental rational choice theories which emphasize costs and benefits.

The theoretical background integrates concepts from rational choice theories of educational decisions (Breen, Esser) and the Wisconsin School (Sewell), utilizing Fazio’s MODE model as a bridge. The scale is designed to isolate attitudes that are schematically organized and apply across various contexts, rather than specific behavioral evaluations. It is conceptually linked to idealistic educational aspiration, focusing on the strong positive stance toward education and viewing higher degrees as an essential requirement.

Validity

Evidence supports both criterion and construct validity.

• Criterion Validity: Regression analysis demonstrated that parental educational background (school-leaving qualification) significantly predicted a positive attitude towards education, distinguishing between those with Hauptschulabschluss (lower secondary) versus Realschulabschluss or Abitur (higher secondary/university entrance qualification). Significant differences were also observed across certain EGP classes, suggesting the scale aligns with expected sociological predictors of educational values.
• Convergent Validity: The scale showed significant positive correlations with related constructs, notably the unconditionality of aspiring to an Abitur for the child and the relative valuation of an Abitur over a Realschulabschluss (idealistic educational aspiration).
• Divergent Validity: Crucially, the generalized attitude towards education did not significantly correlate with objective measures of the children’s educational chances, such as performance test results or family income. This confirms the scale measures a generalized value system rather than an instrumental assessment of current real-world opportunities.
• Construct Validity (Moderation): The scale demonstrated strong construct validity through interaction effects consistent with the Model of Frame Selection. A positive parental attitude toward education significantly moderated the influence of objective factors (like child test results or perceived performance) on subjective expectations (realistic educational aspiration). Parents with strong positive attitudes were less sensitive to poor performance when setting aspirations. This moderating effect was further amplified when the attitude was held with high subjective certainty (Item 7), confirming the theoretical role of attitude strength.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the six core items (1-6) was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha. The resulting coefficient was 0.71. Given the relatively small number of items, this value is considered satisfactory for research purposes.

Factor Analysis

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed on the six items measuring generalized attitude toward education (excluding the certainty item).

• The analysis indicated that the scale is essentially unidimensional.
• Only one component exhibited an Eigenvalue greater than one (E = 2.47).
• This dominant component accounted for 41.2% of the total response variance.
• The component loadings were satisfactory, ranging from 0.47 to 0.73.

Item characteristics show mean scores for the six items ranging from 5.0 to 6.4 (on a 7-point scale), indicating a generally positive attitude toward education within the study sample. Corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.30 to 0.54, with an average of 0.45, demonstrating adequate item homogeneity.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report scale (Generalized attitude measurement)

Format: Computer-assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) using 7-point rating scales.

Language Available: German (deutsch)

Population Group: Parents (specifically primary school parents)

Age Group: Adults (Mean age in sample M = 39.0)

Population Details: The scale was validated on a sample of N=992 primary school parents in the German regions of Ludwigshafen, Frankenthal, Speyer, and Rhein-Pfalz district, surveyed in 2003. The sample excluded first-generation migrants. The majority of respondents were female (92.9%), reflecting the parent who managed most school affairs.

Test Methodology: The scale uses a 7-point Likert-type rating scale for attitude assessment (Items 1-6), anchored by 1: “lehne voll und ganz ab” (fully reject) and 7: “stimme voll und ganz zu” (fully agree). Item 7, measuring response certainty (attitude strength), uses a 7-point scale anchored by 1: “nicht ganz sicher” (not quite sure) and 7: “voll und ganz sicher” (fully sure). The scale score is calculated as the mean sum of Items 1 through 6.

Keywords

Bildung, Einstellung, Schooling, Educational Decision-making, Social Stratification, Psychometrics, Internal Consistency

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Dr. Volker Stocké

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: Data gathered in 2003 (for validation study).

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding commercial permissions and fees is not provided in the source documentation.

Reference’s

Breen, R. (2001).

Breen, R., & Goldthorpe, J. H. (1997).

Erikson, R., & Goldthorpe, J. H. (1992).

Erikson, R., & Jonsson, J. O. (1996).

Esser, H. (1999).

Esser, H. (2000).

Esser, H. (2001).

Fazio, R. H. (1990).

Glassey, J. C. (1945).

Ingenkamp, K. H. (1996).

International Labour Office (1990).

Kristen, C. (1999).

Krosnick, J. A., & Schuman, H. (1988).

Mickelson, R. A. (1990).

Renata, M. (1999).

Sauer, J. (1974).

Sewell, W. H., Haller, A. O., & Straus, M. A. (1957).

Sewell, W. H., Haller, A. O., & Portes, A. (1969).

Sewell, W. H., Haller, A. O., & Ohlendorf, G. W. (1970).

Stocké, V. (2002).

Stocké, V. (2003).

Stocké, V. (2004).

Treiman, D. J. (1977).

Warland, R. H., & Sample, J. (1973).

Wegener, B., Jonas, K., & Gendall, P. (1995).

Items of the attitude towards education scale

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