Attitudes Toward Older People Scale (OP)

Abstract

The Attitudes Toward Old Persons scale (OP scale), originally developed by Nathan Kogan in 1961, is a foundational psychological scale designed to measure the affective and cognitive components of attitudes held by individuals toward older adults. This instrument addresses the complex phenomenon of ageism and stereotypes related to aging. It employs a 34-item format utilizing a 6-point Likert scale response structure, allowing researchers to quantify both positive and negative sentiments about the elderly population across various domains, such as personality, social power, and personal habits.

The OP scale is particularly valued in gerontology and social psychology research for its ability to provide nuanced data on intergenerational perceptions. Its development marked a significant step in the systematic study of prejudice toward older persons, providing researchers with a standardized tool to investigate the correlates of ageist beliefs and evaluate the efficacy of educational or social interventions aimed at reducing negative attitudes toward aging.

Keywords

Attitudes toward old people, Ageism, Stereotype, Gerontology, Kogan OP Scale, Psychological assessment, Social psychology, Aging.

Authors

Nathan Kogan, J. W. Stephens, F. C. Shelton, L. C. Cash (related research).

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Attitudes Toward Old Persons scale is to provide a reliable and systematic method for assessing the complexity and valence of attitudes directed specifically toward older adults. In the context of social psychology and gerontology, this measurement is crucial for understanding the prevalence of negative stereotypes and the underlying factors contributing to age-based discrimination, or ageism.

The scale was initially developed during a period of rising interest in the social dynamics of aging, aiming to differentiate between positive and negative attitudes, and to explore how these attitudes correlate with demographic variables, personality traits, and intergenerational contact. It serves as a vital tool for both descriptive research and for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve attitudes toward the elderly.

Construct

The scale measures the psychological construct of attitudes toward the elderly, which is generally conceptualized as encompassing affective (emotional response), cognitive (stereotypes and beliefs), and behavioral intention components related to older individuals as a group. Kogan’s work specifically focused on measuring the general dispositional response rather than attitudes toward specific behaviors or roles.

Although the original 34 items cover a broad range of topics—including personal habits, social interaction, residential preferences, and adaptability—subsequent analyses often suggest underlying factors representing distinct dimensions of these attitudes, such as perceived power, dependency, character traits, and social integration. The instrument is designed to capture subtle variations in stereotypical thinking.

Validity

The original development of the scale focused on establishing strong construct validity by ensuring item content adequately covered the domain of attitudes toward the elderly. Initial validation studies by Kogan (1961) examined correlates between scale scores and various demographic and personality measures, demonstrating that the scale scores behaved as theoretically expected, especially differentiating between age groups and levels of education regarding their acceptance of aging stereotypes.

Further research across decades, including the application of the scale to diverse populations, has supported the instrument’s utility and face validity. It continues to be recognized as a standard measure in studies focused on age-related prejudice, confirming its ability to capture the multifaceted nature of attitudes toward the older population.

Reliability

The reliability of the Attitudes Toward Old Persons scale is generally considered acceptable for research purposes, particularly when utilized in its subscale format. The internal consistency measures reported for the scale, specifically Cronbach’s alpha, range from 0.66 to 0.83 for individual subscales, suggesting moderate to good reliability depending on the specific dimension being measured and the sample population.

This range indicates that certain clusters of items (subscales) demonstrate robust internal consistency, meeting or exceeding the common threshold of 0.70 used in psychological scale development. Researchers employing the OP scale are advised to calculate and report reliability metrics specific to their sample and the subscales used.

Factor Analysis

While the initial publication by Kogan (1961) presented the scale primarily as a generalized measure of attitudes, subsequent applications have frequently employed factor analysis techniques to identify underlying dimensions. These analyses often reveal a complex structure, frequently separating items into categories reflecting positive and negative stereotypes (affective bipartition).

Commonly identified factors relate to perceived dependency, social contribution, personality rigidity, and social integration. This multi-factor structure allows researchers using the OP scale to analyze specific belief systems that contribute to overall attitudes toward the elderly, rather than relying solely on a single, global score.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale

Format: 34 items utilizing a 6-point Likert scale response format (Strongly agree, Agree, Agree slightly, Disagree slightly, Disagree, Strongly disagree). Scoring often involves reversing negatively keyed items to calculate a total score or subscale scores.

Language Available: English (Primary language of development). Translations have been used in international research.

Population Group: General population, widely used with younger samples (students, children) to assess attitudes toward the elderly population.

Age Group: Typically utilized for respondents in adolescence through adulthood.

Population Details: Originally validated on college students and older adults, demonstrating utility in assessing intergenerational perceptions.

Test Methodology: Standardized self-administered questionnaire requiring respondents to indicate their degree of agreement or disagreement with statements concerning older persons.

Keywords

Kogan Scale, Attitude measurement, Social perception, Intergenerational relations, Stereotypes of the elderly, Prejudice, Psychometrics.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was originally published in 1961 by Nathan Kogan. As a classic instrument in social psychology, it is generally considered to be in the public domain for academic research use, though researchers should always cite the original Kogan (1961) articles.

The original PDF detailing the instrument and related research can be downloaded here: https://repositories.tdl.org/ttu-ir/bitstream/handle/2346/12429/31295003446985.pdf?sequence=1

Test Year: 1961 (Primary development).

Reference’s

• Cash‚ L. C. (1983). Factors Influencing CHILDREN’S Attitudes Toward Older Persons. Texas Tech University‚ Doctoral dissertation.
• Kogan‚ N. (1961). Attitudes toward old people: The development of a scale and an examination of correlates. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology‚ 62(1)‚ 44-54.
• Kogan‚ N. (1961). Attitudes toward old people in an older sample. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology‚ 62(3)‚ 616-622.
• Kogan‚ N.‚ Stephens‚ J. W.‚ & Shelton‚ F. C. (1961). Age differences: A developmental study of discriminability and affective response. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology‚ 62‚ 221-230.
• Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (Kogan OP Scale). MedEdPORTAL Publications; 2016. Available from: https://www.mededportal.org/publication/10325

Items of the Attitudes Toward Old Persons scale (OP(

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

1. It would probably be better if most old people lived in residential units with people of their own age.
2. Most old people are capable of new adjustments when the situation demands it.
3. Most old people tend to let their homes become shabby and unattractive.
4. Old people have too much power in business and politics.
5. Most old people bore others by their insistence on talking about the “good old days.”
6. When you think a about it‚ the people have the same faults as anybody else.
7. There are a few exceptions‚ but in general most old people are pretty much alike.
8. Most old people are cheerful‚ agreeable‚ and good humored.
9. Most old people make excessive demands for love and reassurance.
10. Most old people are really no different from anybody else; they’re as easy to understand as younger people.
11. Most old people would prefer to quit work as soon as pensions or their children can support them.
12. It is foolish to claim that wisdom comes with old age.
13. Most old people are very relaxing to be with.
14. Most old people spend too much time prying into the affairs of others and giving unsought advice.
15. You can count on finding a nice residential neighborhood when there is a sizeable number of old people living in it.
16. Most old people should be more concerned with their personal appearance; they’re too untidy.
17. One seldom hears old people complaining about the behavior of the younger generation.
18. There is something different about most old people; it’s hard to figure out what makes them tick.
19. Most old people would prefer to continue working just as long as they possibly can rather than be dependent on anybody.
20. People grown wiser with the coming of old age.
21. Most old people make one feel ill at ease.
22. Most old people respect others’ privacy and give advice only when asked.
23. In order to maintain a nice residential neighborhood‚ it would be best if too many old people did not live in it.
24. Most old people seem quite clean and neat in their personal appearance.
25. Most old people are constantly complaining about the behavior of the younger generation.
26. It would probably be better if most people lived in residential units with younger people.
27. Most old people get set in their ways and are unable to change.
28. Most old people can generally be counted on to maintain a clean‚ attractive home.
29. Old people have too much power in business and politics.
30. One of the most interesting and entertaining qualities of most old people is their accounts of their past experiences.
31. If old people expect to be liked‚ their first step is to try to get rid of their irritating faults.
32. It is evident that most old people are very different from one another.
33. Most old people are irritable‚ grouchy‚ and unpleasant.
34. Most old people need no more love and reassurance than anyone else.