ATTITUDES CAN BE MEASURED
ATTITUDES CAN BE MEASURED
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DOI：
10.1086/214483
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发表时间：
1928-01-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Thurstone, L. L.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Thurstone, L. L.
本研究的目的是设计一种方法，使群体对特定问题的态度分布可以以频率分布的形式表示。理想情况下，基线代表了从最强烈支持该问题的一端到最强烈反对该问题的另一端的全部意见。基线上两个极端之间的某个位置将是一个中立区，代表对有关问题的冷漠态度。频率分布的纵坐标代表每种态度的相对受欢迎程度。这一测量问题具有所有测量所共有的局限性，即只能测量可以在线性连续体上表示的属性，例如体积、价格、长度、面积、卓越、美观等属性。对于目前的问题，我们仅限于可以通过“更多和更少”类型的判断来比较个人的态度方面。例如，我们可以理解地说，一个人比另一个人更支持禁酒，比另一个人更强烈地支持国际联盟，比另一个人更军国主义，比另一个人更虔诚。计量是通过认可或拒绝意见陈述来实现的。意见根据其表达的态度被分配到基线上的不同位置。频率分布的纵坐标由每个定标意见被认可的频率决定。整个问题的中心在于基线测量单位的定义。该量表的构建使得在基线上相隔单位距离的两种意见在所涉及的态度变量方面似乎与量表上也相隔单位距离的任何其他两种意见一样大。这是目前规模建设的主要思路。个人在态度量表上的真实分配是一种抽象，就像粉笔线的真实长度、房间的真实温度或孩子的真实拼写能力一样。我们通过各种指标来估计一条线的真实长度，一个房间的真实温度，或者一个孩子的真实拼写能力，而所有指标并不完全一致是测量中的常见现象。在将一个人分配到态度连续体上的某个点时，我们可以使用各种指标，例如他所支持的观点、他的公开行为以及他过去的历史，并且可以预期，由于个人的真实态度是由不同的指标估计的，因此会出现差异。本研究关注的是根据个体接受或拒绝的观点对个体进行态度连续体的分配。
The object of this study is to devise a method whereby the distribution of attitude of a group on a specified issue may be represented in the form of a frequency distribution. The base line represents ideally the whole range of opinions from those at one end who are most strongly in favor of the issue to those at the other end of the scale who are as strongly against it. Somewhere between the two extremes on the base line will be a neutral zone representing indifferent attitudes on the issue in question. The ordinates of the frequency distribution will represent the relative popularity of each attitude. This measurement problem has the limitation which is common to all measurement, namely, that one can measure only such attributes as can be represented on a linear continuum, such attributes as volume, price, length, area, excellence, beauty, and so on. For the present problem we are limited to those aspects of attitudes for which one can compare individuals by the "more and less" type of judgment. For example, we say understandingly that one man is more in favor of prohibition than another, more strongly in favor of the League of Nations than another, more militaristic than some other, more religious than another. The measurement is effected by the indorsement or rejection of statements of opinion. The opinions are allocated to different positions on the base line in accordance with the attitudes which they express. The ordinates of the frequency distribution are determined by the frequency with which each of the scaled opinions is indorsed. The center of the whole problem lies in the definition of a unit of measurement for the base line. The scale is so constructed that two opinions separated by a unit distance on the base line seem to differ as much in the attitude variable involved as any other two opinions on the scale which are also separated by a unit distance. This is the main idea of the present scale construction. The true allocation of an individual to a position on an attitude scale is an abstraction, just as the true length of a chalk line, or the true temperature of a room, or the true spelling ability of a child, is an abstraction. We estimate the true length of a line, the true temperature of a room, or the true spelling ability of a child, by means of various indices, and it is a commonplace in measurement that all indices do not agree exactly. In allocating an individual to a point on the attitude continuum we may use various indices, such as the opinions that he indores, his overt acts, and his past history, and it is to be expected that discrepancies will appear as the true attitude of the individual is estimated by different indices. The present study is concerned with the allocation of individuals along an attitude continuum based on the opinions that they accept or reject.