Status-Concern Scale (SC)

Abstract

The Status-Concern Scale (SC) is a concise, 10-item psychometric instrument developed by W. C. Kaufman in 1957. Its primary function is to quantitatively measure an individual’s intense motivation toward social striving and the desire for upward social mobility. The scale assesses the degree to which a respondent values personal ambition, actively seeks the respect of peers, and prioritizes the attainment of a superior social position within societal hierarchies. Historically, the SC scale was instrumental in foundational social psychology research, particularly in studies investigating the interrelationships between personality traits, political attitudes, and social stratification. The items comprising the scale focus specifically on behaviors and belief systems related to self-betterment, the strategic selection of high-status associations, and adherence to formal social propriety.

The Status-Concern construct, as operationalized by the SC scale, offers researchers a reliable, albeit historically situated, metric for quantifying individual social ambition. This metric has proven valuable for correlating status orientation with broader socio-political variables, such as political affiliation and susceptibility to constructs like authoritarianism.

Keywords

Status concern, social mobility, ambition, social striving, political attitudes, authoritarianism, social position, social psychology, psychological measurement, Kaufman, social class

Authors

W. C. Kaufman

Purpose

The core purpose of the Status-Concern Scale (SC) is to precisely gauge the intensity of an individual’s motivation to both achieve and successfully maintain a highly respected social standing. The scale functions as a differentiator among individuals based on their visible and professed commitment to status advancement, treating this ambition as a fundamental indicator of personal character and orientation toward success.

In its initial application within sociological research, the SC scale was utilized to analyze the critical relationship between deeply held personal values and the stability or permeability of societal hierarchies. By providing a quantifiable metric for social ambition, the SC scale allows researchers to effectively correlate this psychological drive with a variety of external variables, including economic ideologies, specific political affiliations, and other established personality constructs.

Construct

The SC scale measures the psychological construct known as Status Concern. This construct is defined as a deeply embedded value system revolving around three central components: the paramount importance of social reputation, the persistent drive for upward movement within the existing social structure, and the strategic cultivation of relationships designed to facilitate personal and professional success. Status Concern thus reflects a proactive, intentional orientation toward maximizing one’s perceived social worth and actively managing one’s public image.

The ten items of the scale reflect several key facets of this construct. These include the strong belief that ambition is the primary determinant of success, the necessity of demonstrating impeccable social etiquette, and the willingness to make significant personal sacrifices—such as choosing a residential area based on its perceived social standing rather than convenience—to improve or maintain social standing. Status Concern, within the framework of this instrument, is considered a relatively stable, enduring attitude that significantly influences decision-making across both personal and public domains of life.

Validity

Detailed, contemporary statistics regarding the scale’s validity, such as modern confirmatory factor analysis results, are not readily available in the foundational source materials. However, the initial construct validity of the SC scale was established through its seminal publication by W. C. Kaufman in 1957 in the American Journal of Sociology.

In Kaufman’s original research context, the SC scale demonstrated robust construct validity by exhibiting meaningful statistical correlations with theoretically related constructs, notably authoritarianism and anti-Semitism. These correlations suggested that the intensity of status striving was systematically linked to specific socio-political attitudes prevalent during the mid-20th century. Furthermore, the inclusion of the SC scale in major, authoritative compendiums of political and social psychological measures, such as the 1969 volume compiled by Robinson and Shaver, provides strong evidence for its historical utility and enduring face validity within the field of social measurement.

Reliability

Specific, modern measures of internal consistency, such as Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients, or detailed test-retest reliability statistics are not explicitly documented in the brief source entry. Given the scale’s utilization in methodologically rigorous academic research throughout the 1950s and 1960s, it is reasonably inferred that Kaufman established acceptable levels of reliability for the instrument during its development. These initial checks likely involved techniques such as split-half reliability or early forms of internal consistency analysis. Researchers who utilize the Status-Concern Scale in subsequent contemporary studies are typically required to report the reliability coefficients derived specifically from their own sampled populations to ensure the scale’s continued psychometric soundness.

Factor Analysis

The foundational source content does not provide explicit documentation detailing the results of factor analysis performed on the Status-Concern Scale (SC). Nevertheless, based on the scale’s design as a brief, 10-item measure specifically constructed to capture a single, unified psychological concept—Status Concern—it is highly probable that the instrument was intended to be unidimensional. Any early factor analyses conducted by Kaufman would have most likely confirmed that the ten items load heavily onto a single dominant factor, representing the core, overarching construct of social status striving and ambition.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report attitude inventory

Format: Likert-type scale, utilizing a 7-point response range from +3 (strong agreement) to -3 (strong disagreement).

Language Available: English (Original development language)

Population Group: General adult population (primarily utilized in US samples during its foundational research period)

Age Group: Adults (18+)

Population Details: The scale was originally implemented in studies involving diverse demographic groups to assess the psychological and attitudinal correlates of social class differences and political beliefs.

Test Methodology: Respondents are instructed to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each of the 10 statements using the provided 7-point scale (+3 to -3). Scoring is cumulative, where higher total scores indicate a significantly greater level of status concern.

Keywords

Social status, social psychology, attitude scale, psychological measurement, status striving, social class, Robinson and Shaver, Kaufman, unidimensional scale

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Specified

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Specified

Correspondence Address: Not Specified

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The original development and publication year of the scale is definitively 1957, based on the foundational journal article by W. C. Kaufman. As the SC scale is a classic, established instrument published in major academic journals and subsequently compiled within public domain resources, such as the comprehensive 1969 volume from the Institute for Social Research (ISR), the scale is generally considered available for non-commercial, academic research use. While explicit permission is typically not required for such use, mandatory citation of the original Kaufman source is required. Fee information is not applicable for the academic utilization of this historical scale.

Reference’s

• Kaufman, W. C. (1957). Status, authoritarianism, and anti-semitism. American Journal of Sociology, 62, 379-382.

• Robinson, John P., Shaver, Phillip R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The original PDF containing this instrument, as compiled within the Institute for Social Research compendium, can be downloaded here: https://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/dis/infoserv/isrpub/pdf/Measuresofsocialpsychologicalattitudes_2928_.PDF

Items of the Status-Concern Scale (SC)

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

1. The extent of a man’s ambition to better himself is a pretty good indication of his ch‎aracter.

2. In order to merit the respect of others‚ a person should show the desire to better himself.

3. One of the things you should consider in choosing your friends is whether they can help you make your way in the world.

4. Ambition is the most important factor in determining success in life.

5. One should always try to live in a highly respectable residential area‚ even though it entails sacrifices.

6. Before joining any civic or political association‚ it is usually important to find out whether it has the backing of people who have achieved a respected social position.

7. Possession of proper social etiquette is usually the mark of a desirable person.

8. The raising of one’s social position is one of the more important goals in life.

9. It is worth considerable effort to assure one’s self of a good name with the right kind of people.

10. An ambitious person can almost always achieve his goals.

Scoring ranges from +3 (agreement) to -3 (disagreement).