The Social Class Attitudes Scale (SCAS): Instrument development and estimates for reliability and validity

This study was designed to develop a conceptually grounded, valid, and reliable scale to assess attitudes toward social class. A theoretically based and psychometrically sound social class attitudes scale is not currently available. Using the Weberian approach to social class stratification and the tenets of Social Dominance Theory, the constructs of social class and social class attitudes served as the theoretical underpinnings for the study. Literature on the significance of the psychological effects of social class and the pervasiveness of social class attitudes in United States culture also provided support for the study rationale. This investigation was composed of scale development and evaluation. The scale development included initial item generation, expert panel review and a pilot study review. The scale evaluation included exploratory factor analysis with initial estimates of reliability, estimates of concurrent and discriminant validity, and four-week test-retest reliability estimates. Three factors emerged from the factor analysis results: Belief in Meritocracy, Awareness of Social Class Stratification, and Upper Social Class Negative Bias. Concurrent and discriminant validity estimates were in the expected directions. Test-retest reliability estimates were adequate.