The Factorial Validity of the Study Attitudes and Methods Scale (SAMS)

Abstract

For a sample of 181 community college students, five subtests each of five items were assembled for each of the six 25-item scales of the Study Attitudes and Methods Survey (SAMS): Academic Interest—Love of Learning, Academic Drive—Conformity, Study Methods, Study Anxiety, Manipulation, and Alienation Toward Authority. A principal factors solution of the intercorrelations of the 30 assembled subtests resulted in five interpretable factors identified as Facilitative Study Behaviors (portraying a fusion of the first three factor scales into a general dimension), Study Anxiety, Manipulation, Alienation Toward Authority, and Academic Interest—Love of Learning (the subtests of this last factor not only defining a separate dimension but also sharing modest variance with the general trait indicative of a positive orientation to study effort). It is anticipated that the use of data from the extensive item analyses and factor analytic outcomes can lead to the development of shorter scales demonstrating a higher degree of discriminant validity.