Semantic Habits Measure

Abstract

The Semantic Habits Measure (SHM), developed by Nunnally, Flaugher, and Hodges in 1963, is an original psychometric instrument designed to quantify individual differences in how people structure and form semantic relations. Comprising 143 binary-choice association items, the measure assesses four fundamental modes of semantic response: E-plus tendency (positive evaluation), E-minus tendency (negative evaluation), D tendency (sensuous denotative attributes), and C tendency (categorization).

These responses are aggregated into three primary scales—the E-plus scale, the E-minus scale, and the C-D balance scale. The instrument demonstrated robust internal consistency reliability of approximately .80 across these major scales when tested on a sample of college undergraduates.

Keywords

Semantic Habits Measure, Semantics, Binary Choice Associations, Semantic Relations, Test Development, Psychological Measurement, Word Associations, Categorization

Authors

Jum C. Nunnally, Ronald L. Flaugher, William F. Hodges

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Semantic Habits Measure is rooted in the psychometric tradition of quantifying idiosyncratic cognitive styles. Specifically, the scale was constructed to systematically assess and measure the unique ways in which different individuals habitually form semantic relations between concepts and verbal stimuli.

This assessment allows researchers to identify stable, individual differences in semantic processing tendencies, moving beyond simple denotation to capture underlying evaluative (positive/negative) and structural (denotative versus categorization) approaches to language and meaning.

Construct

The underlying psychological construct measured by the SHM is Semantics, specifically focusing on habitual patterns of meaning-making and relationship formation that individuals employ when processing verbal stimuli. This approach delineates four distinct dimensions, or modes, of semantic response that reflect contrasting cognitive strategies:

• E-plus tendency: Reflects a propensity toward positive evaluations of stimuli.
• E-minus tendency: Reflects a propensity toward negative evaluations of stimuli.
• D tendency: Focuses on sensuous denotative attributes (i.e., concrete, physical, or sensory characteristics).
• C tendency: Focuses on categorization, grouping items based on abstract or functional classes rather than physical attributes.

Validity

The original documentation for the Semantic Habits Measure does not explicitly indicate specific studies or data supporting its validity, such as construct, criterion, or predictive validity. As a measure developed in the early 1960s, the primary focus documented in the reference material was on establishing the novel theoretical structure and the reliability of the semantic response modes.

While the instrument’s structure is theoretically derived from distinctions in semantic processing, comprehensive validity evidence demonstrating its relationship to established constructs in language processing or cognitive psychology is not provided in the source summary.

Reliability

Reliability for the SHM was established using measures of internal consistency (a measure of how well the items within a scale measure the same construct). The instrument demonstrated acceptable reliability across its three major synthesized scales when administered to a sample of undergraduate students.

Specifically, the three major scales—the E-plus scale, the E-minus scale, and the C-D balance scale—each yielded reliabilities of approximately .80. This robust level of consistency suggests that the items contributing to each major scale reliably measure the intended underlying semantic habit or tendency.

Factor Analysis

The source documentation does not provide details regarding a formal Factor Analysis of the 143 items or the resulting subscales. The scale structure appears to be based on theoretical distinctions between the four semantic response modes (E-plus, E-minus, D, C) and their subsequent pairings (e.g., E-plus versus D) rather than purely empirical factor loadings derived from statistical analysis.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Psychological Test

Format: The instrument utilizes 143 binary-choice association items, requiring respondents to select between two predetermined options that reflect contrasting semantic habits.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human (Male and Female)

Age Group: Typically utilized with young adults (College age).

Population Details: The reliability statistics were derived from a sample consisting of College Students.

Test Methodology: The primary methodological focus during development included Test Reliability and assessment of Internal Consistency.

Keywords

Semantic Relations, Cognitive Style, Denotation, Evaluation, Test Construction, Psychological Measurement, Internal Consistency, Binary Choice

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in the source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in the source material.

Correspondence Address: The primary affiliations at the time of publication (1963) were: Nunnally (Vanderbilt University), Flaugher (Vanderbilt University), and Hodges (Vanderbilt University).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Semantic Habits Measure was developed and published in 1963. The instrument is listed as non-commercial, and there is no associated fee for its use, as indicated in the source data. The test items are available for academic or research use.

The original PDF detailing the measure can be downloaded here: Semantic Habits Measure PDF.

Reference’s

• Nunnally, J. C., Flaugher, R. L., & Hodges, W. F. (1963). Measurement of semantic habits. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 23(3), 419–434.

Items of the Semantic Habits Measure

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

The scale consists of 143 items presented in a binary-choice association items format, designed to force a choice between two responses that reflect contrasting semantic habits. These responses are categorized based on four specific modes:

• E-plus tendency (positive evaluations)
• E-minus tendency (negative evaluations)
• D tendency (sensuous denotative attributes)
• C tendency (categorization)

The instrument includes five subscales that are subsequently combined into three major scales:

1. E-plus scale (formed by combining E-plus versus D and E-plus versus C subscales).
2. E-minus scale (formed by combining E-minus versus D and E-minus versus C subscales).
3. C-D balance scale (which directly contrasts C responses and D responses).

Specific examples of the 143 stimulus words and paired binary choices are not detailed in the summary source content but are indicated as available for research use.