Political Participation Scale

Abstract

The Political Participation Scale (PPS), developed by Choichiro Yatani in 1982, is a comprehensive self-report instrument designed to measure the extent of an individual’s involvement, interest, and attitudes toward political activities. Originating from a Master of Arts thesis at Oregon State University, the scale provides a quantitative assessment of various facets of political participation, ranging from passive behaviors like media consumption and discussion to active behaviors such as voting, campaigning, and contacting government officials.

Comprising 60 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale, the PPS aims to capture both external political actions and internal psychological states, such as feelings of political efficacy and perceptions of civic duty. It is particularly relevant for researchers studying political socialization and civic engagement among young adult populations.

Keywords

Political Participation, Civic Engagement, Political Attitude, Voting Behavior, Political Efficacy, Psychological Scale, Political Science, Student Attitudes, Measurement Instrument

Authors

Choichiro Yatani

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Political Participation Scale is to quantitatively assess the multifaceted nature of an individual’s engagement with the political system. The scale was developed to capture the spectrum of political involvement, moving beyond simple voting records to include personal interest, willingness to engage in political discussions, and attitudes toward governmental structure and policy-making.

The instrument was specifically utilized in Yatani’s original research to investigate the correlation between an individual’s level of political participation and their attitudes toward violence, providing a foundational tool for early research in political psychology and the study of political activism.

Construct

The core construct measured is Political Participation, defined broadly to encompass conventional political behaviors, such as voting and campaigning, as well as less formal activities, such as media consumption and political discourse among peers and family. Analysis of the 60 items suggests the construct covers several key dimensions:

• Political Interest and Knowledge: Measures engagement with political news and interest in political science courses (Items 13, 20, 48).
• Civic Duty and Voting Behavior: Assesses the perceived importance of voting and electoral responsibility (Items 11, 22, 58).
• Political Efficacy and Cynicism: Measures feelings of influence versus powerlessness regarding political outcomes and government decisions (Items 40, 44, 50).
• Active Campaigning and Direct Action: Captures willingness to participate in rallies, encourage others to vote, or contact officials (Items 7, 37, 47).
• Socialization and Discussion: Assesses the role of family, friends, and social circles in political engagement (Items 1, 9, 34).

Validity

Specific quantitative data regarding criterion validity or construct validity, such as correlations with established political scales or predictive power for future political behavior, is not explicitly detailed in the thesis abstract provided. However, the scale demonstrates high face validity, as the 60 items directly address a wide range of recognizable political behaviors and relevant political attitudes.

Reliability

The reliability of the Political Participation Scale was assessed using internal consistency methods. The original research reported a split-half correlation coefficient of .75. This coefficient was mathematically corrected for the full length of the 60-item instrument using the Spearman-Brown prophecy formula. This result indicates an acceptable level of internal consistency for a complex, multi-dimensional instrument used in social science research.

Factor Analysis

The original source content does not explicitly detail the results of a formal factor analysis performed on the 60 items. Given the breadth of the items—covering interest, efficacy, conventional participation (e.g., voting), and non-conventional attitudes (e.g., cynicism towards campaign contributions)—it is highly probable that the scale possesses a multi-factor structure, though the specific factors identified by Yatani (1982) are not specified here.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological inventory

Format: 60 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale, where 5=Strongly Agree, 4= Agree, 3= Undecided, 2= Disagree, 1= Strongly Disagree.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: General public and students interested in political attitudes and civic engagement.

Age Group: Young adults (implied college age based on thesis origin).

Population Details: Likely utilized college students at Oregon State University during the testing phase in 1982.

Test Methodology: Self-administered questionnaire.

Keywords

Political Psychology, Civic Duty, Student Attitudes, Political Socialization, Measurement Instrument, Political Efficacy

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided

Correspondence Address: Choichiro Yatani, c/o Oregon State University (1982)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed in 1982. As the instrument originates from an academic Master’s Thesis, it is generally considered available for non-commercial academic research purposes. Formal permissions for commercial use or modification should be sought by contacting the originating institution (Oregon State University) or the author. No specific fee structure is documented.

Reference’s

Yatani, C. (1982). Attitudes Toward Political Participation and Preference for Violence. Master of Art Thesis, Oregon State University. The instrument and thesis abstract are available online: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/41865.

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Items of the Political Participation Scale

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

1. My parent frequently talked about politics.
2. I do not like to be asked what to do about world peace.
3. I want to take at least one political science course before I graduate.
4. I will cut a class if I am assigned to initiate a discussion on political issues.
5. A monetary contribution to a political candidate is one of the main sources of corruption.
6. We should frequently make contact with our government to check its arbitrary decision.
7. I will wear a button to support my candidate.
8. It is kind of fun to involve others in a discussion for world peace policies.
9. My friends seldom talk about politics.
10. I dislike a political rally.
11. I think voting in a presidential election is one of the most important duties of a citizen.
12. I have no interest in initiating a discussion on politics.
13. Reading TIME or Newsweek is not boring.
14. I avoid socializing with those who initiate political discussion.
15. Voting makes a difference in how the government runs things.
16. When I get a newspaper‚ I usually read sports articles first.
17. I approve seeing stickers on the cars of my friends supporting political candidates.
18. Attending political meetings is an important action for me.
19. Some of my friends talk to me about political issues.
20. I would choose a geography course rather than a political science course if they were offered as an elective.
21. TV news programs are so boring that I seldom watch them.
22. It is very important to me to exercise the right to vote in a presidential election.
23. Campaign contributors discourage me to vote because I feel they are buyers purchasing future political favors.
24. I am not interested in persuading others to vote for the candidate I support.
25. I do not like to see someone with a button supporting a political idea.
26. Voting does not do any good.
27. I usually read a newspaper from the first page to the last page.
28. I do not want to date my boyfriend/girlfriend when he/she wears a button expressing a political idea.
29. Not to vote in a congressional election is to give up a major responsibility to our society.
30. It is waste of time to vote in a presidential election.
31. I do not remember my parent talking to me about world peace.
32. I would hesitate to put a sticker on my car for anti-war appeal.
33. It is useless to write to a congressman to voice disagreement.
34. I like to socialize with those who have special concerns about policies of our government.
35. I do not want my boyfriend/girlfriend to talk to me about international political problems.
36. Voting is the best way to express my opinion.
37. I would like to encourage others to exercise the right to vote.
38. I feel guilty by not participating in discussions about government policies.
39. I would not vote even if I was asked to do so by my intimate friends.
40. One of the reasons why I do not try to write to a government official is because I feel I have no influence on the political structure.
41. I feel uncomfortable when I am around people who are debating national policies.
42. If my boyfriend/girlfriend brought up political issues in our conversation‚ I would welcome them.
43. I am not interested in presidential elections.
44. Voting cannot stop the irresponsibility of the power elite.
45. I respect a person who has strong political ideas.
46. It is exicting to participate in the political process through exhorting others to vote for a certain candidate.
47. I feel urged to write to the White House when I disagree with its decision.
48. I am interested in watching programs like “60 Minutes” or “World News Tonight” on TV.
49. I feel it is almost impossible to live without being involved in political issues.
50. My voting has no influence on a presidential election.
51. I feel the decision making of the President is unaffected by the outcome of elections.
52. I would feel uncomfortable to initiate a class discussion on world disarmament.
53. I have no interest in watching the President’s address on TV.
54. A small group of powerful and selfish individuals misuse my vote in presidential elections.
55. I feel a very close relationship with our government through voting.
56. I recommend others to vote for my candidate.
57. I feel that it is a necessary political activity to contribute money to a political party.
58. Voting is my obligation.
59. When I find an interesting political article in a newspaper‚ I feel urged to discuss it with my friends.
60. It is sad to see many people are not concerned about world disarmament.