Review article
Measuring the Value Orientations Towards Social Change
Stanko Petković
; Pravni fakultet, Zagreb, Trg maršala Tita 14
Abstract
An attempt to develop the instruments for measuring value orientations towards social change is described. The often used dichotomous conceptual framework conservative-innovatory is considered inadequate, as the true differentiation between the attitude clusters call for more complex conceptual distinction.
5 value orientations, typical for Yugoslav society were identified and operationalized: a) traditionalist: orientation to the traditional values of the rural community; b) urban-conservative: orientation of petty entrepreneurs; c) innovatory: orientation towards the progress in the sense of maximum technological rationalization and pointed individualism; d) nonconformist: orientation to negation of established institutions, order, work and of positive evaluation of the past; e) »old left«: positive orientation towards Marxist ideology, socialization of private property, social equality, with the conspicuous authoritarianism, and ideological exclusiveness. For the construction of the scales, the Likert rating scale method was used, slightly adapted. Instead of a series of statements, the items were short expressions only denoting some phenomenon to which the subject reacted, by choosing one of the points on a five-point acceptance-rejection continuum. It was supposed that the procedure would produce greater spontaneity of the respondents and eliminate the cognitive-critical aspects which are unavoidable when value statements are used as items.
Out of 121 items 59 were chosen as discriminate and 29 judges classified them into following scales: N/2 scale (nonconformity) 30 items, I/scale (innovativeness) — 28 items, K/2 scale (conservatism) — 28 items, L/2 scale (old leftist) — 32 items, T/2 scale (traditionalism) — 42 items. The validity obtained by discriminate groups method was high. The author claims the highest value of the scales when used together as a battery.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
156255
URI
Publication date:
31.3.1976.
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