Instrument For Assessment Of Attitudes Research Articles

Attitudes toward the computer: construct validation of an instrument with scales differentiated by content

In the present study, the construct validity of an instrument for the content-differentiated assessment of attitudes toward the computer is examined. The instrument is designed primarily for university students of the humanities and the social sciences. It contains eight scales related to different content aspects which are based on three dichotomous distinctions: (1) the computer as an instrument for learning and working versus the computer as an instrument for entertainment and communication; (2) personal experience with the computer versus consequences of computer technology for society; and (3) the computer as a ‘beneficial tool’ versus the computer as an ‘autonomous entity’ (cf. Brock & Sulsky, 1994. Attitudes toward computers: construct validation and relations to computer use. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 15, 17–35). For validation purposes, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted ( n=232). The measurement model of content-differentiated scales was contrasted with five more restrictive (nested) models assuming bidimensionality (‘beneficial tool’ vs. ‘autonomous entity’), and estimates for the reliability and discriminant validity of the eight attitude scales were computed. The results fully corroborate the measurement model of content-differentiated scales. Consequences for the assessment of attitudes toward the computer in general are discussed.

Evaluation of a Computer-Assisted Instructional Component in a College-Level Nutrition Course

The effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in nutrition education was evaluated by determining if a CAI program designed to reinforce class lectures and available on disks and the university network was associated with higher cognitive achievement test scores. Students’ opinions concerning the helpfulness, advantages, and disadvantages of such a program were also assessed. Our CAI program was available to 243 students in four sections of an introductory nutrition course. Students could use the CAI program for any amount of time. There were 160 users and 83 nonusers. A valid and reliable cognitive pretest–post-test, an attitude assessment, and a demographic and opinion questionnaire were used. Differences in pretest–post-test scores were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance. Internal consistency of the attitude assessment instrument was determined using Cronbach's alpha test. Users of the CAI program had higher pretest–post-test gain scores than nonusers. Eighty-seven percent of the students thought that the program was useful or very useful; 78% thought that it improved their grades. Students’ attitudes were positive toward use of computers and, generally, improved with use of the program. We concluded that class material in a computerized format available on disks and a network is useful for improving performance of students in a college-level, introductory nutrition course.

Development of the PAAI as a measure of attitudes of parents with preschool children toward substance use and abuse.

Because parents have a major impact on their preschool children's development, the study of parental attitudes is crucial to understanding substance abuse behavior. This study examined the reliability of an instrument to measure attitudes of parents with preschool children regarding substance use and abuse. The sample consisted of a lower to middle socioeconomic, racially diverse population of 101 parents of preschool children. The Parent Attitude Assessment Instrument (PAAI) measured parents' attitudes toward substance use and abuse, parental role modeling, and substance abuse prevention with preschool children.

Nutrition knowledge and attitudes of elementary school students after receiving nutrition education

The effect of a nine-week nutrition education program on nutrition knowledge and selected nutrition/food attitudes of kindergarten through sixth grade pupils was examined. Children in the experimental group participated in the program for a nine-week instructional period; those in the control group participated later. Knowledge and attitude assessment instruments were administered to both groups immediately before and after the instructional period. In the lower grades (kindergarten through grade 3), responses on two of the three attitude scales were positively influenced by the nutrition education program. On the third attitude scale there was a trend toward a positive effect in all but one of the lower grades, but the trend was significant only in first grade. In the upper grade levels (4 through 6), the effect of nutrition education on the nutrition and food attitude scale responses was mixed; it tended to be most positive in grade 4 and least positive in grade 6. The nutrition education program also had a significant positive effect on the nutrition knowledge score of pupils in all grades except sixth. In this grade, the trend was positive but was not significant.

Attitudes of postpartum mothers concerning children and child rearing.

To assess contemporary maternal attitudes about children, child rearing, and family life, a 32-item attitude scale--the Parent Attitude Scale (PAS)--was developed and given to 523 postpartum mothers. The PAS was shown to be a highly reliable attitude assessment instrument. Maternal attitudes generally were pro-child in nature. Variations in total and individual item PAS scores were a function of maternal race, age, marital status, and employment status. Implications of the attitude survey for clinicians in terms of the treatment and prevention of developmental problems and for physician-parent interactions, are discussed.

"Verbal Attitudes and Overt Behavior"

In his attempt to delineate the relationship between attitudes and behavior, Lawrence Linn reviews past studies, particularly their methods of measurement and discrepancies between attitudes and behavior.1 De Fleur-Westie study2 is cited as superior to its predecessors, but Linn feels that their attitude measure does not measure the same attitude objects assessed by their behavioral measure. Linn uses the identical attitude objects in the questionnaire items and the observed behavior, and, to make the experiment real, he uses Negro experimenters. No relationship was found between attitudes and behavior for the total group. Prediction from attitudes to behavior for liberals was not possible, but prejudiced subjects behaved largely in accordance with their attitudes. However, there are certain difficulties in the Linn study. Linn criticizes the De Fleur-Westie article on two counts: (1) their method of attitude assessment . . may not measure the same attitude objects or situational variables involved in the willingness to pose for a picture with a Negro in various social situations, and (2) . . reference groups . . . are more inclusive than peers alone and furthermore should be seen as antecedent rather [than] intervening variables.3 With Linn's first point we agree. However, he does not have any data indicating that his measurement procedure is an improvement over usual techniiques. two attitude assessment instruments he used gave the same results when related to the behavior measure. Linn's second criticism is that De Fleur and Westie take the position that an individual shifts his definition of the situation as his immediate referents change. De Fleur and Westie did find that 71.8 percent of the subjects invoked some type of reference group. All of those who did cite a reference group mentioned some type of peer group. They did not conclude from this, as Linn implies, that all important reference groups for decision-making are peers. Among other problems raised by the Linn study are: (1) the use of Negro experimenters and (2) the adequacy of the sample for the conclusions drawn. Linn maintains that his design is an improvement in that he uses Negro experimenters to increase the realness of the issue and the of the attitude object. A basic problem here is that there was no control group with which to compare the effects of salience of the attitude object. same results might have been obtained using white experimenters. different results obtained in the Linn study and the De Fleur-Westie study might be explained by differences in the samples used. Linn said, The Ss in the present study as well as in the De Fleur and Westie study were young college girls. . . .4 In the De FleurWestie study, . . half of each group was male. . .5 1 Lawrence S. Linn, Verbal Attitudes and Overt Behavior: A Study of Racial Discrimination, Social Forces, 43 (March 1965), p. 355. 2 Melvin L. De Fleur and Frank R. Westie, Verbal Attitudes and Overt Acts: An Experiment on the Salience of Attitudes, American Sociological Review, 23 (December 1958), pp. 667673. 3 Linn, op. cit., pp. 362, 363. 4 Ibid., p. 363. 5 De Fleur and Westie, op. cit., p. 669.