McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey

Abstract

The McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey (McClosky, 1964) is a seminal political instrument developed by Herbert McClosky within the context of a comprehensive study examining the nature of political consensus and ideology in American politics. This extensive survey consists of 65 items distributed across six distinct and theoretically derived subscales, all designed to measure various facets of democratic commitment and related political dispositions.

The instrument assesses critical dimensions of democratic attitudes, including support for fundamental procedural norms, civil liberties (such as Free Speech), and social equality, while also measuring potentially disruptive attitudes like political cynicism and perceived political futility. Respondents utilize a simple agreement or disagreement format to engage with the items. The survey scales were rigorously validated using standard empirical procedures and a modified Guttman reproducibility procedure.

Keywords

Democratic Attitudes, Political Attitudes, Ideology, Consensus, Cynicism, Free Speech, Political Futility, Test Development, Social Equality, American Politics, Attitude Measures, Test Validity.

Authors

McClosky, Herbert

Purpose

The primary purpose of the McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey is to systematically measure political attitudes associated with adherence to core principles of democracy and procedural fairness.

Developed during a crucial period of American political science, the instrument was specifically utilized in foundational research aimed at comparing the level of acceptance of democratic norms between the general electorate and highly engaged Political Influentials in the United States.

Construct

The central psychological and political construct measured by this instrument is Democratic Attitudes.

This construct is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional structure encompassing the willingness to uphold procedural rights, support for civil liberties—especially Free Speech—and commitment to social equality, balanced against counter-attitudes such as distrust of government and feelings of political powerlessness.

Validity

The validity of the six subscales was established through robust psychometric evaluation during the initial development phase of the survey. The scales were independently validated to ensure they accurately reflected the intended latent variables.

Validation procedures included comprehensive empirical validation procedures and the application of a modified Guttman reproducibility procedure. This methodological rigor supported the claim that the scales meaningfully measured distinct components of democratic belief systems among the sampled populations.

Reliability

Specific statistical indicators of reliability, such as internal consistency coefficients (e.g., Cronbach’s Alpha) or stability measures (test-retest correlations), were not explicitly detailed in the source documentation provided for the original 1964 publication.

Researchers intending to use the scale in contemporary settings are encouraged to consult subsequent scholarly literature that has employed the McClosky Survey, as updated reliability metrics for modern samples may be available in those sources.

Factor Analysis

The McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey possesses an explicit, multi-dimensional structure defined by six distinct scales, which function as primary factors reflecting the complexity of democratic ideology and participation.

The six component scales are derived from the 65 total items and address specific areas of political belief:

• Attitudes Towards the Rules of the Game (12 items)
• Attitudes to General Statements about Free Speech and Opinion (8 items)
• Attitudes to Specific Applications of Free Speech and Procedural Rights (9 items)
• Support for Different aspects of Equality (15 items)
• Cynicism Towards Government and Politics (14 items)
• Sense of Political Futility (7 items)

Instrument

Test Type: Survey

Format: Respondents express agreement or disagreement with 65 items.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

Population Details: The original study targeted populations within the United States, including the General Electorate and Political Influentials.

Test Methodology: The administration method was paper-based.

Keywords

Attitude Measures, Social Equality, Political Influentials, Test Validity, Government, Political Attitudes, Test Construction, Democracy, American Politics, Religious and Political Beliefs.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not available.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not available.

Correspondence Address: Contact the original institution or publisher associated with the 1964 publication in the American Political Science Review.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original publication year of the McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey is 1964.

The instrument is classified as non-commercial, and there is no stated fee associated with its use for academic research. However, the specific test items are not publicly available, and researchers must contact the author or publisher for obtaining the necessary usage permissions.

Reference’s

McClosky, H. (1964). Consensus and ideology in American politics. American Political Science Review, 58(2), 361–382. The original source document can be accessed via the digital object identifier: https://doi.org/10.2307/1952868

Items of the McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey

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

The McClosky Democratic Attitudes Survey is composed of 65 items distributed across six distinct scales:

• Attitudes Towards the Rules of the Game (12 items)
• Attitudes to General Statements about Free Speech and Opinion (8 items)
• Attitudes to Specific Applications of Free Speech and Procedural Rights (9 items)
• Support for Different aspects of Equality (15 items)
• Cynicism Towards Government and Politics (14 items)
• Sense of Political Futility (7 items)