Philosophies of Human Nature Altruism Scale

Abstract

The Philosophies of Human Nature Altruism Scale is a specialized, 14-item component designed to assess an individual’s fundamental beliefs regarding the altruistic tendencies and inherent goodness of other people. Developed by Lawrence S. Wrightsman in 1964, this scale is one of six major subscales that comprise the complete 120-item Philosophies of Human Nature (PHN) inventory. Respondents use a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from -3 (Disagree Strongly) to +3 (Agree Strongly), to indicate their level of agreement with statements concerning human motivation and willingness to help others. The scale features a balanced structure of 7 positively scored items and 7 negatively/reverse-scored items, designed to minimize response bias and provide a continuous measure of one’s philosophy concerning altruism.

Keywords

Altruism, Philosophies of Human Nature, PHN, Wrightsman, Social Psychology, Self-report, Beliefs about Others, Trustworthiness, Likert scale

Authors

Lawrence S. Wrightsman

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Philosophies of Human Nature Altruism Scale is to quantify an individual’s generalized belief system regarding the fundamental nature of humanity, specifically focusing on the dimension of altruism. It seeks to determine the degree to which a person believes others are genuinely concerned, helpful, and willing to sacrifice for the well-being of strangers or neighbors.

This scale serves as a crucial tool in social and personality psychology research for correlating an individual’s core beliefs about others with their own behavioral patterns, social attitudes, and overall psychological adjustment. The scores reflect a continuous spectrum of belief, moving from cynicism and distrust toward a strong conviction in the inherent goodness of people.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of the perceived **Altruistic Nature of Humanity**. This construct is rooted in the broader concept of **Philosophies of Human Nature (PHN)**, which posits that individuals hold stable, generalized beliefs about the characteristics, motives, and capabilities of people in general. The Altruism subscale specifically addresses the extent to which people are viewed as being:

• Unselfish: Believing others are motivated by genuine concern rather than self-interest.
• Prosocial: Expecting others to engage in helping behaviors, even at personal cost (e.g., acting as “Good Samaritans”).
• Trustworthy: Assuming others adhere to ethical standards like the Golden Rule.

The Altruism dimension is critical because these fundamental assumptions about others heavily influence social interaction, cooperation, and the formation of trust within communities.

Validity

The original validity evidence for the PHN scale and its subscales, including Altruism, is detailed in Wrightsman’s 1964 foundational article published in Psychological Reports. Wrightsman employed rigorous methods to ensure the items adequately sampled the domain of human beliefs regarding altruism and trustworthiness.

Subsequent research utilizing the PHN scale has supported its construct validity by demonstrating predictable correlations with related psychological variables, such as authoritarianism, Machiavellianism, and measures of social responsibility. High scores on the Altruism scale typically correlate positively with lower levels of cynicism and higher levels of civic engagement, confirming that the scale measures a genuine belief structure regarding the positive intentions of others.

Reliability

Reliability of the Altruism Scale, as documented in the literature following its introduction, is generally robust for academic research purposes. Wrightsman (1964) reported initial estimates of internal consistency and stability for the subscales of the PHN instrument.

Internal consistency, typically measured using **Cronbach’s alpha**, for the 14-item Altruism subscale usually falls within the acceptable range (often reported between .70 and .85 across various samples), indicating that the items measure a unified underlying construct. Test-retest reliability studies have also demonstrated that beliefs about human nature, particularly altruism, are stable over time, reinforcing the dependability of the scale for longitudinal studies.

Factor Analysis

The overall Philosophies of Human Nature (PHN) inventory was developed based on theoretical dimensions, which were later confirmed using factor analytic techniques. The Altruism subscale emerged as a distinct factor within the broader six-factor structure proposed by Wrightsman.

Factor analysis of the PHN scale typically confirms that the 14 items loading onto the Altruism dimension are distinct from other factors such as Complexity, Rationality, or Independence. This empirical separation supports the use of the Altruism scale as a stand-alone measure, confirming that beliefs about whether people are helpful or selfish represent a unique aspect of one’s overall philosophy of human nature.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report inventory

Format: 14 items utilizing a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from -3 (Disagree Strongly) to +3 (Agree Strongly). Items 1-7 are positively scored; items 8-14 are reverse-scored.

Language Available: Primarily English (original publication). Translations may exist in academic literature.

Population Group: General adult population and older adolescents.

Age Group: Typically 18 years and older (college students and community members).

Population Details: Originally validated using college student samples, but widely applicable to diverse adult populations in social and organizational psychology research.

Test Methodology: Respondents are instructed to read each statement carefully and indicate their degree of agreement or disagreement. It is explicitly noted that the 14 items should be randomized prior to administration to prevent sequencing effects and bias toward the scoring key.

Keywords

Psychological assessment, Social cognition, Construct validity, Selfishness, Prosocial behavior, PHN subscale, Psychometrics, Wrightsman (1964)

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not applicable (Pre-dates ORCID system)

Affiliation Email addresses: Not available

Correspondence Address: Refer to the Department of Psychology, George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee (Wrightsman’s affiliation at the time of publication).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1964

Permissions: The scale is widely used in academic and research settings. Since its original publication in Psychological Reports, the scale is generally considered available for non-commercial academic research, provided proper attribution (Wrightsman, 1964) is given. Researchers should consult the publisher of the original journal for formal permission requirements.

Fee: Typically, no fee is associated with the use of the scale in non-commercial academic research.

The scale and related measures of prosocial orientation are discussed in supplementary academic materials. The original PDF context for prosocial orientation can be downloaded here: http://www.fetzer.org/sites/default/files/images/stories/pdf/selfmeasures/PROSOCIAL_ORIENTATION_AND_ALTRUISM.pdf

Reference’s

• Wrightsman‚ L. (1964). Measurement of philosophies of human nature. Psychological Reports‚ 14‚ 743-751.

Items of the Philosophies of Human Nature Altruism Scale

Instructions: Read each statement carefully. Then indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree by circling the number in front of each statement. The numbers and their meaning are indicated below:

Response Scale: -3= Disagree Strongly‚ -2= Disagree Somewhat‚ -1= Disagree Slightly‚ +1= Agree Slightly‚ +2= Agree Somewhat‚ +3 = Agree Strongly

Scoring Note: Items 1-7 are positively scored items. Items 8-14 are negatively scored (i.e.‚ reverse-scored). The 14 items should be randomly mixed up before using this scale.

1. Most people try to apply the Golden Rule even in today’s complex society.
2. Most people do not hesitate to go out of their way to help someone in trouble.
3. Most people will act as “Good Samaritans” if given the opportunity.
4. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a motto most people follow.
5. The typical person is sincerely concerned about the problems of others.
6. Most people with a fallout shelter would let their neighbors stay in it during a nuclear attack.
7. Most people would stop and help a person whose car is disabled.
8. The average person is conceited.
9. It’s only a rare person who would risk his own life and limb to help someone else.
10. It’s pathetic to see an unselfish person in today’s world because so many people take advantage of him.
11. People pretend to care more about one another than they really do.
12. Most people inwardly dislike putting themselves out to help other people.
13. Most people exaggerate their troubles in order to get sympathy.
14. People are usually out for their own good.