Comparison of Information Scales and Like-Indifferent-Dislike Scales as Measures of Interest

Abstract

The potential of information tests for the non-fakable measurement of interests was tested by observing the overlap of interest scales with information scales after partialling out verbal and numerical ability. Significant partial correlations between scales of the two types of measures for secondary school Ss led to a comparison of the respective capacities of the two instruments in predicting academic performance and self-initiated, extracurricular accomplishments in the arts and sciences. While interest scales predicted academic performance independently of measured aptitude for males, the information scales were not related to grades for either sex after partialling out verbal and numerical abilities. In correlations with self-initiated, extracurricular Science, Esthetic and Literary activities, interest scales did show larger and more consistent relationships than information scales, but the presence of interest components in information scales seems to have been established.