Is the Dogmatism Scale Irreversible?

Abstract

A review of various attempts to produce balanced versions of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale (‘D’ scale) shows that the highest positive-negative correlation obtained on a general population sample was-0,32. This was obtained with the Ray (1974a) ‘BD’ Scale Mark 11. An attempt to improve on this figure was made by administering only the best eight items of this scale to a community sample of 87 Sydney people. The positive-negative correlation obtained was-0,37. It was pointed out that Rorer's (1965) work showed only that there was no such thing as a general tendency to acquiesce. It did not rule out acquiescence as a response to ambiquity (Peabody 1966). Balanced scales are therefore still necessary. It was concluded that the ‘D’ Scale may be inherently and unacceptably ambiguous.