Various Social Attitude Scales

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Abstract

The Various Social Attitude Scales, primarily associated with the work of Donald T. Campbell and published in comprehensive measures compendiums (e.g., Robinson & Shaver, 1969), comprise a collection of distinct, short subscales designed to measure diverse facets of social attitude and underlying personal values. This instrument is notable for its use of a modified forced-choice format, presenting respondents with dichotomous statements (A and B) and requiring them to express preference on a five-point scale.

The scale addresses critical areas of social psychology, including self-perception in relation to social roles, individualism versus conformity, attitudes toward materialism, social trust, local versus cosmopolitanism orientation, and beliefs regarding foreign policy. Developed in 1966, the tool provides a structured method for assessing complex, often conflicting, value judgments in academic and psychological research settings.

Keywords

Social Attitude, Individualism, Materialism, Cosmopolitanism, Localism, Foreign Policy, Social Psychology, Forced-Choice Scale, Values, Self-Concept, Attitude Measurement.

Authors

Donald T. Campbell, John P. Robinson, Phillip R. Shaver.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Various Social Attitude Scales is to provide researchers in social psychology and political science with concise, reliable measures for quantifying complex social orientations and personal value structures. The instrument was developed to assess deeply held beliefs across multiple domains that influence social behavior and political thought, particularly among student and young adult populations.

By presenting contrasting statements in a forced-choice manner, the scale aims to capture the nuances of individual preference between competing social norms or philosophical viewpoints. This approach allows for the independent measurement of distinct, yet interconnected, attitudinal dimensions, facilitating detailed analysis of how factors like self-reliance, wealth orientation, and global awareness contribute to an individual’s overall social perspective.

Construct

The instrument measures several distinct social attitude constructs, each represented by a separate set of eight items. These constructs reflect classic tensions in social psychology and sociology:

  • Self-Perception and Social Comparison: Measures the degree to which an individual’s self-concept, progress evaluation, and efficacy in determining others’ feelings are dependent on external social feedback and reactions versus internal, self-defined standards.
  • Individualism: Assesses the preference for self-dependence, the development of personal moral values, and the rejection of strict societal or religious constraints, contrasting with the acceptance of community adjustment and traditional societal morals.
  • Materialism: Measures the extent to which an individual values wealth, material possessions, physical appearance, and orderliness as prerequisites for happiness and success, versus viewing these as superficial compared to intrinsic life joys and non-materialistic pursuits.
  • Social Attitudes (Trust/Cynicism): Gauges general social trust, reflecting beliefs about mutual helpfulness and security derived from friends/co-workers, versus profound suspicion, insecurity, and cynicism regarding others’ motives (the “dog-eat-dog world” view).
  • Cosmopolitan-Local Orientation: Distinguishes between those who prioritize strong local connections, community roots, and familiar norms (Local) and those who embrace broader global ideas, external perspectives, career mobility, and science over local social ties (Cosmopolitan).
  • Foreign Policy Orientation: Measures attitudes concerning the objectives of U.S. foreign policy, contrasting universal humanitarian and international law objectives against national self-interest (e.g., prioritizing U.S. political advantage or standard of living).

Validity

The validity of the Various Social Attitude Scales is primarily supported by its inclusion in highly respected academic compilations, notably the 1969 volume “Measures of Political Attitudes,” suggesting recognized utility and strong face validity within the research community. The instrument was designed based on existing theoretical frameworks concerning social values and political ideology, ensuring high content validity as items directly address the core conflicts inherent in each dimension (e.g., individual autonomy vs. societal conformity in the Individualism subscale).

Construct validity is typically inferred through the empirical distinction between the subscales and their expected correlations with external measures of political orientation, economic outlook, and personal identity measures. The use of a clear forced-choice mechanism, forcing respondents to select between two opposing poles of a value continuum, strengthens the measurement of the underlying construct.

Reliability

As is common with short, specialized research scales developed during this period, specific reliability coefficients (such as Cronbach’s alpha) are generally reported in subsequent studies rather than in the initial compilation. Given that each component scale consists of only eight items, the internal consistency reliability may be moderate, reflecting the brevity required for inclusion in large-scale attitude batteries.

However, the dichotomous nature of the items, coupled with the five-point intensity rating, ensures that the measurement of preference is precise. The scales’ continued application in academic research suggests that they possess acceptable levels of stability and internal consistency for measuring stable attitudinal characteristics within the target demographic of young adults and college students.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the Various Social Attitude Scales is inherently multidimensional, built upon an a priori assumption that six distinct factors of social attitude exist. Each set of eight items is designed to load onto one of these hypothesized factors (e.g., Materialism, Cosmopolitanism). While the source document does not contain empirical factor analysis results, the design itself serves as a structure for subsequent confirmatory factor analysis.

Researchers employing this battery typically treat the subscales as independent factors, with scoring methods designed to place respondents along a continuum defined by the opposing statements (A vs. B). This approach has generally been supported by later research indicating that constructs such as Cosmopolitanism and Materialism are distinct value systems.

Instrument

Test Type: Psychological Scale (Attitude Inventory)

Format: Modified Forced-Choice format using a 5-point rating scale:

A = Statement A is entirely preferred to Statement B as an expression of my opinion.

a = Statement A is somewhat preferred over Statement B.

? = I cannot choose between A and B.

b = Statement B is somewhat preferred to Statement A.

B = Statement B is entirely preferred to Statement A as an expression of my opinion.

Language Available: English (Original development).

Population Group: General population; primarily validated and used with college students and academic samples.

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (typically 18+).

Population Details: Originally utilized in studies focusing on American college students in the mid-1960s to measure developing social and political values.

Test Methodology: Respondents select the response option that best reflects their preference between two contrasting, often opposing, attitudinal statements (A or B), thereby indicating both the direction and intensity of their belief.

Keywords

Social Measurement, Value Orientation, Political Attitudes, Self-Concept, Social Trust, Cosmopolitan-Local, D. T. Campbell, Psychometrics, Forced-Choice.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not available/Provided.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not available/Provided.

Correspondence Address: Not available/Provided.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1966.

Permissions: The scales were primarily published in academic research compendiums, implying they are generally available for non-commercial academic research use, provided standard citation practices are followed. Distribution rights are often held by the publishing institute (e.g., Institute for Social Research).

Fee: Generally available for academic use without a direct fee, though access requires obtaining the specific source publication, such as the Robinson and Shaver compendium.

The original PDF outlining these measures, included in the comprehensive volume by Robinson and Shaver (1969), can be downloaded here: Measures of social psychological attitudes.

Reference’s

  • Campbell, D. T. (1950). The indirect assessment of social attitudes. Psychological Bulletin, 47(1), 15-38.
  • Campbell, D. Unpublished papers, Department of Psychology, Northwestern University.
  • Robinson, John P., Shaver, Phillip R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Items of the Various Social Attitude Scales

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

Various Social Attitude Scales
Campbell 1966
 
1.    A. My progress toward the goals of success I set for myself has been disappointing.
B. I feel that I have made significant progress toward the goals of success I set for myself.
2.    A. The conception I now have of myself is more complimentary than the conception I have had in the past.
B. I now have a less complimentary conception of myself than I have had in the past.
3.    A. In determining how others feel about me‚ I am not confident in my ability to do so.
B. I am confident of my ability to ascertain how others feel about me.
4.    A. Knowing the evaluation s of myself by others is important for the way I see myself.
B. The way I see myself does not depend upon my knowing the evaluations of me by others.
5.    A. In a given situation‚ I am inadequate in telling how others perceive me.
B. It is my feeling that I am able adequately to tell how others perceive me in a given situation.
6.    A. I tend to identify myself in terms of the reaction s of others toward me.
B. The way others react toward me does not influence the way I tend to react toward those others.
7.    A. The way I play my role in a given social situation is dependent upon how I conceive myself.
B. I n a given social situation‚ the way I play my role is dependent upon how others conceive me.
8.    A. Myself conception is not shaped by factors external to the given social situation in which I am playing a role.
B. The conception I have of myself is shaped by the way I play my role in a given social situation.
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Individuality
1.    A. Schools and colleges should teach their students to accept their morals of society and to adjust themselves to community life.
B. The primary purpose of education is to make the student independent and to help him develop his own conceptions of life‚ morals and values.
2.    A. Since man is basically evil he must be taught to accept society and his innate spontaneity must be constrained by regulations.
B. Man is fundamentally good and will always develop his good faculties under positive environmental conditions.
3.    A. Good and evil are values which are determined by society or religious concepts.
B. Man should consider all moral values in relation to himself; he alone is the standard (of judgment) of good and evil.
4.    A. The U.S.A. places great emphasis on developing people who are well- adjusted to society and who take an active responsible role in social life.
B. The U.S.A. encourages a self-dependent‚ and Individualistic attitude towards life.
5.    A. The integrated person is capable of getting along by himself and avoids unnecessary social contacts.
B. A well – adjusted and mature person seeks and enjoys social contacts and likes to affiliate with others.
6.    A. Mature persons use their Individual aspiration s alone as a standard of self-evaluation.
B. The only way to attain appropriate self- evaluation is by comparing one’s self with the community in which one lives.
7.    A. Fraternity life is too dominant because it does not give students a chance to stand entirely on their own feet‚ to get a real estimation of themselves and to develop their own social
[quads id=5]
relations.
B. Fraternities and sororities are very positive because they help students who are away from home for the first time to get adjusted to the new form of life.
8.    A. There are no basic values worth striving for except those which come from the Individual himself.
B. Man should strive to meet fundamental values which are pointed out by society and religion.
Materialism
1.    A. “A loaf of bread‚ a jug of wine…” this epitomizes all the material requirements for personal happiness.
B. “A loaf of bread and a jug of wine” may have been alright for someone who hasn’t known anything else‚ but let’s face it; in twentieth century America we approach happiness as the carpet gets thicker and the steaks less “rare.”
2.    A. My philosophy is: to have or to have not is the question‚ and if I’m lucky enough to have‚ I’m going to enjoy it.
B. To have wealth and material goods is not more conducive to happiness than to have debts and cancer.
3.    A. An orderly‚ uncluttered house and a well-kept lawn will be important features of ray future home.
B. I’m frankly not really interested in how my physical surroundings will be disposed in my future home.
4.    A. The joys which wealth and material possessions bring are superficial and short-term as compared to the real joys in life.
B. The only people who can say “money can’t buy happiness” are those who never had a chance to try.
5.    A. A society that worships such extravagances as “golf mobiles” and all electric kitchens is indeed a “sick” society.
B. If things were such that everybody in the world had stereophonic record players and champagne‚ wars would probably be obsolete.
6.    A. To conjecture upon the size of one’s starting salary when leaving college is a natural tendency on the part of a modern college student.
B. A person with a “healthy” value system rarely if ever reflects on his future salary.
7.    A. Neatness and physical appearance of my like-sexed friends are entirely accidental in terms of my associations.
B. Important determinants in my choice of like – sexed friends in my living group at college are physical attractiveness and stylishness of dress.
8.    A. A place for everything and everything in it’s place is a good maxim to abide by.
B. Although cleanliness is important in material things‚ order‚ per se‚ bores me.
[quads id=5]
Social Attitudes
1.    A. Confidence in others is seldom misplaced.
B. I f you leave y o u r self-open to being hurt‚ you probably will be.
2.    A. People would rather help than hurt one another.
B. In this dog-eat-dog world‚ you can’t trust anyone.
3.    A. Working for others is a situation of basic in security.
B. Friends and co-workers are the best security that a person can have.
4.    A. Faith in others is essential for survival these days.
B. ha‎ving faith in others is just asking for trouble.
5.    A. If an acquaintance asks to borrow money‚ it is better to try to avoid lending it.
B. Being able to help those in need is part of the joy of living.
6.    A. The golden rule is still the best rule to live by.
B. Nice guys finish last.
7.    A. You can’t beat city hall.
B. Where there’s a will there’s a way.
8.    A. There’s no place for friendship in business.
B. Business’ first function is to meet a social need.
[quads id=5]
Cosmopolitan – Local Measure
1.    A. It’s a good idea to look around for a place to settle but there’s nothing like setting one’s roots in one spot.
B. When it comes to what I do in my spare time I don’t pay much attention to what people might think.
2.    A. I don’t care to know people unless there is something to the person.
B. I judge a man by who he is more than I do by what kind of person he is.
3.    A. It’s best to join clubs where there are people most like yourself.
B. It’s best to know a few se‎lected people than a lot of them.
4.    A. News from home seems more meaningful than other news found in the newspaper.
B. In order to better himself and his family‚ a man sometimes has to give up some of his friends.
5.    A. In general‚ it is preferable reading daily newspapers than magazines.
B. If a person gets tired of people he’s known for years he should stop seeing them.
6.    A. Joining such clubs as the Elks and Kiwanis is preferable over such clubs as debate and cultural ones.
B. One of the best ways to judge a man is by his success in his job or career.
7.    A. The findings of science may someday show that many of our most deeply-held beliefs are wrong.
B. If given a choice between an American good or item and a foreign one‚ I would se‎lect the American good even if the foreign good was slightly cheaper.
8.    A. people ought to pay more attention to new ideas‚ even if they seem to go against the American way of life.
B. It is best to borrow needed funds from close friends or one’s family than from a bank or loan firm.
[quads id=5]
Foreign Policy
1.    A. The important thing for the U.S. foreign aid program is to see to it that poor countries benefit.
B. The important thing for the U.S. foreign aid program is to see to it that the U.S. gains a political advantage.
2.    A. If the U.S. policy of regional blocs of countries protects the member states‚ it is a good policy.
B. If the U.S. policy of regional blocs of countries cr‎eates difficult world conditions for small neutral countries‚ it is a bad policy.
3.    A. The laws of the United States should be used as a model for developing international laws.
B. International laws should be developed out of the laws of all nations.
4.    A. U.S. foreign trade is desirable if it raises the standard of living of all countries Involved in the trades.
B. U.S. foreign trade is desirable if it raises the U.S. standard of living.
5.    A. A U.S. citizen must remember his duty to his country whatever the international issue.
B. The position a U.S. citizen takes on an international issue should depend on how much good it does for how many people in the world‚ regardless of their nation.
6.    A. The United States should abide by United Nations decisions‚ whether it agrees with them or not.
B. The United States should abide by United Nations decisions only if it agrees with them.
7.    A. It will be all right if Communism replaces capitalism if it means a better life for most people in the world.
B. Capitalism must be defended against attack.
8.    A. Countries needing our agricultural surpluses should pay for them instead of getting something for nothing.
B. Countries needing our agricultural surpluses should get them free if we cannot use them.
[quads id=5]
A= Statement A is entirely preferred to Statement B as an expression of my opinion.
a = Statement A is somewhat preferred over Statement B.
? = I cannot choose between A and B.
b = Statement B is somewhat preferred to Statement A.
B = Statement B is entirely preferred to Statement A as an expression of my opinion.

Cite this article

Mohammed looti (2025). Various Social Attitude Scales. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Retrieved from https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/various-social-attitude-scales/

Mohammed looti. "Various Social Attitude Scales." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 16 Oct. 2025, https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/various-social-attitude-scales/.

Mohammed looti. "Various Social Attitude Scales." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 2025. https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/various-social-attitude-scales/.

Mohammed looti (2025) 'Various Social Attitude Scales', Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Available at: https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/various-social-attitude-scales/.

[1] Mohammed looti, "Various Social Attitude Scales," Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, October, 2025.

Mohammed looti. Various Social Attitude Scales. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. 2025;vol(issue):pages.

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