SISA + L3S + A-R + SES

Abstract

The SISA + L3S + A-R + SES is a comprehensive psychological instrument developed within the framework of an anarchist theory of self, integrating measures of social attitudes, life satisfaction, anti-authoritarianism, and self-esteem. This composite scale, originating from the doctoral research of Joseph Amos Garcia, was designed to investigate the complex interplay between an individual’s psychological well-being and their disposition toward societal structures and authority figures. The instrument combines items from several established scales, focusing on measuring attitudes concerning obedience, social conformity, individual autonomy, and the acceptance or rejection of conventional societal norms.

The scale consists of 57 items using a mixed response format (predominantly 4-point Likert scales, with 7-point scales for life satisfaction items). It serves as a specialized tool for researchers in political psychology and personality theory seeking to quantify dimensions of self-actualization and critical social engagement.

Keywords

Anarchism, Self-Esteem, Authority, Anti-Authoritarianism, Life Satisfaction, Social Attitudes, Psychological Assessment, Autonomy, Obedience, Social Conformity.

Authors

Joseph Amos Garcia, William D. McIntosh (Advisor).

Purpose

The primary purpose of the SISA + L3S + A-R + SES scale is to provide a unified measure for assessing psychological components central to an individual’s sense of self in relation to external authority. Specifically, the scale was constructed to empirically test hypotheses related to the concept of the “Anarchist Self,” examining how variables like self-worth and life satisfaction correlate with critical, non-conformist, and anti-authoritarian social attitudes. The measure seeks to differentiate between individuals who value strict obedience and societal order and those who prioritize personal conscience, autonomy, and radical social change.

This instrument serves as a specialized tool for researchers interested in political psychology, personality theory, and the measurement of complex ideological constructs. By combining established measures (like the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, or SES) with specialized scales addressing authoritarianism (A-R) and specific social issues (SISA), the instrument aims to provide a nuanced profile of the respondent’s psychological and political landscape, offering insights into how personal psychology shapes socio-political adherence.

Construct

The composite scale measures four primary psychological and social constructs, denoted by its acronym: SISA (Social Issues/Societal Attitudes), L3S (Life Satisfaction/Well-being), A-R (Anti-Authoritarianism/Obedience Rejection), and SES (Self-Esteem). These constructs collectively define a spectrum of self-awareness and social engagement, ranging from highly conformist and low self-worth to highly autonomous and self-actualized individuals.

• Self-Esteem (SES): Measures an individual’s overall positive or negative attitude toward the self, utilizing classical items related to self-worth and feelings of inadequacy.
• Anti-Authoritarianism (A-R): Assesses the respondent’s endorsement or rejection of traditional authority, obedience, and discipline, often contrasting these values with personal autonomy and conscience.
• Social Issues (SISA): Gauges attitudes toward complex social and political domains, including views on social equality, revolution, punishment for crimes, and skepticism toward established institutions or social norms.
• Life Satisfaction (L3S): Measures global satisfaction with life, indicating general psychological well-being separate from specific domain-related self-esteem.

Validity

The validity of the composite scale relies substantially on the documented psychometric properties of its constituent parts, especially the widely validated Self-Esteem Scale (SES) component. For the context-specific subscales (SISA and A-R), construct validity would typically be established by demonstrating strong correlation with established measures of political ideology, such as those assessing right-wing authoritarianism or social dominance orientation, thus proving that the scale measures the intended political and social constructs.

Furthermore, the structure is designed to support discriminant validity, ensuring that the Anti-Authoritarianism subscale measures opposition to authority distinctly from generalized distress or low self-worth. The theoretical utility of this instrument lies in its ability to support empirical studies linking personality traits (self-esteem) directly to political and social attitudes (authoritarianism and social justice orientation).

Reliability

Internal reliability for the SISA + L3S + A-R + SES scale is conventionally summarized using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients, calculated separately for each of the four distinct subscales. High internal consistency is expected for the SES component due to its derivation from a highly reliable standard instrument. Researchers utilizing this composite scale must verify acceptable alpha levels (typically exceeding 0.70) for the A-R and SISA subscales within their specific study population to ensure these context-dependent measures are functioning reliably.

Factor Analysis

Given the scale’s composite nature, factor analysis is essential for confirming the theoretical structure. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is typically employed to verify the hypothesized four-factor model (SES, L3S, A-R, SISA). The analysis should demonstrate that items load cleanly onto their intended factors, supporting the theoretical distinction between personal self-concept, life evaluation, and external social/political attitudes. The differing response scales employed across the subscales (4-point vs. 7-point) necessitate careful methodological consideration during the factor extraction process.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire (Composite Scale)

Format: Mixed Likert scale response options. Most items use a 4-point scale (Strongly Disagree=1 to Strongly Agree=4). Life Satisfaction items use a 7-point scale (Terrible=1 to Delighted=7).

Language Available: English (Original research language)

Population Group: General and Academic populations; specifically used in research focusing on psychological theory and political attitudes.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (suitable for university-level research samples).

Population Details: Developed primarily for research purposes within a doctoral dissertation to study the relationship between self-actualization and anti-authoritarian beliefs.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with 57 statements or questions. Scoring involves calculating raw scores for each of the four subscales, often requiring reversal of scores for negatively worded items.

Keywords

Political Psychology, Self-Actualization, Obedience, Conformity, Social Justice, Psychological Measurement, Attitude Scales, Doctoral Research, Joseph Amos Garcia.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A

Correspondence Address: N/A (Contact information typically associated with the originating academic institution or author’s subsequent professional affiliation).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed as part of academic research, specifically a doctoral dissertation. While the SES component is often used freely for non-commercial research, commercial use of the composite scale requires permission from the author, Joseph Amos Garcia, or the originating institution. The test year is inferred to be the publication year of the originating thesis, likely the **mid-2000s**.

Reference’s

Garcia, J. A. (Year N/A). Toward an Anarchist Theory of Self: Wilderness, Actualization and Authority. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Georgia (Under the Direction of William D. McIntosh).

Items of the SISA + L3S + A-R + SES

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

Please respond to the questions by circling the number that applies.

• Strongly Disagree = 1
• Agree = 2
• Disagree = 3
• Strongly Agree = 4

1. Obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
2. It is better to be yourself than it is to be popular. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
3. What we need least is an authority to tell us what to do or how to do it. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
4. I am able to do things as well as most other people. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
5. Every person should have complete faith in some supernatural power whose decisions he obeys without question. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
6. I do not fee ashamed of any of my emotions. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
7. I am loved because I can give love. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
8. How do you feel about your life as a whole? Terrible = 1…2…3…4…5…6…7 = Delighted
9. I feel that I have a number of good qualities. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
10. People can be divided into two distinct classes: the weak and the strong. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
11. I don’t accept my own weaknesses. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
12. To be a decent human being follow your conscience regardless of the law. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
13. I take a positive attitude toward myself. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
14. I can like people without ha‎ving to approve of them. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
15. No principle is more immoral than that of obedience. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
16. Familiarity breeds contempt. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
17. I do not feel responsible to help anybody. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
18. Astrology will never explain anything because it is a fraud. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
19. My countries way of life is so resistant to progress that revolution is necessary to end its injustices and oppressions. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
20. I feel I must do what others expect me to do. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
21. Nowadays‚ when so many different kinds of people move around and mix together so much‚ people have to protect themselves against catching an infection or disease from them. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
22. Children don’t owe their parents a thing. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
23. My country can’t exert moral leadership among nations until it until it abandons its corrupt material values. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
24. Sex crimes like rape and child molestation reflect a sick society and we must change society rather than punishing individual offenders. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
25. On the whole‚ I am satisfied with myself. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
26. Obedience is the mother of success. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
27. I fear failure. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
28. Strong discipline builds moral ch‎aracter. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
29. At times I think I am no good at all. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
30. My country is spiritually predestined to lead the world. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
31. I wish I could have more respect for myself. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
32. Some day it will be probably be shown that astrology can explain a lot of things. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
33. I avoid attempts to analyze and simplify complex domains. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
34. People of different nationalities‚ social classes and races should mix together more. Everybody would benefit from it. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
35. To know people well is to love them. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
36. My countries way of life is disappearing so fast that force may be necessary to preserve it. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
37. I feel free to be angry at those I love. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
38. Sex crimes‚ such as rape and attacks on children‚ deserve more than mere imprisonment: such criminals ought to be publicly whipped‚ or worse. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
39. Obedience is the mother of enslavement. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
40. I believe that people are essentially good and can be trusted. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
41. True morality only develops in a fully permissive environment. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
42. There is hardly anything lower than a person who does not feel a great deal of love‚ gratitude‚ and respect for his parents. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
43. I have no mission in life to which I feel especially dedicated. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
44. No principle is more noble or holy than that of true obedience. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
45. I certainly feel useless at times. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
46. I am bothered by fears of being inadequate. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
47. The strong and the weak are not inherently different. They are merely the advantaged and disadvantaged members of an unfair society. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
48. I feel that I am a person of worth‚ at least on an equal basis with others. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
49. I can express my feelings even when they may result in undesirable consequences. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
50. Obedience and respect for authority aren’t virtues and shouldn’t be taught to children. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
51. I feel I do not have much to be proud of. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
52. To be a decent person always stay with the law. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
53. It is always necessary that others approve of what I do. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
54. How do you feel about your life as a whole? Terrible = 1…2…3…4…5…6…7 = Delighted
55. All in all‚ I am inclined to feel that I am a failure. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
56. Our chief want in life is somebody to make us do what we should. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree
57. Faith in the supernatural is a harmful self-delusion‚ and submission to religious authority is dangerous. Strongly Disagree = 1…2…3…4 = Strongly Agree