Designing a valid and reliable Likert attitude scale on the generation of electricity from nuclear power plants

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6477465

Calhoun, L D

A 15-step flowchart model was applied to the construction of a 20-item long form and a 6-item short form of the scale. Both scales were field-tested on 829 respondents representing a diverse range of subjects: high school juniors and seniors, nuclear engineering students, pre-service teachers, and members of a citizens action group. Both scales are available for immediate use. The 20-item scale appears to be reliable, content valid, and construct valid. Content validity was examined through factor analysis and the use of two separate juries of nuclear experts. Construct validity was examined by application of the known-groups approach. Scale reliability and homogeneity were evidenced by a 0.93 coefficient alpha, a range of positive interim correlations of 0.15 to 0.73, and a range of adjusted item-total correlations of 0.46 to 0.80. The 20-item scale also has evaluative quality; means ranged from 2.80 to 3.70. Content validity for the 6-item scale was examined by a jury of nuclear experts. An obtained coefficient alpha of 0.82, a range of interim correlations of 0.51 to 0.72 suggest the scale is reliable and homogeneous. The 6-item short form also appears to have evaluative quality; means ranged from 2.37 to 3.18.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6477465
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
NUCLEAR POWER
ATTITUDES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER GENERATION
EVALUATION
SURVEYS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POWER
POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
210800* - Nuclear Power Plants- Economics
290600 - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy