Predictive Validity of the Dogmatic Rejection Scale

Abstract

Items were pilot-tested for a new measure of the tendency to reject belief-dissimilar individuals, the Dogmatic Rejection Scale (DRS). Its basis involves assessing the respondent's position on a given topic and then, contingent on that position, assigning a score from an item embodying rejection of individuals with an opposing opinion. Two studies (N = 303 and N = 376), using the Byrne "bogus stranger" procedure, tested the predictive and incremental validity of the DRS. The DRS was, found to predict rejection of a disagreeing "stranger." Factor and item-by-item analyses led to a revised form of the DRS. Three further studies (N = 102, 82, and 210) were conducted. Again the DRS predicted rejection of the disagreeing "stranger."From 2 was found to be an improvement over Form 1 in predictive power and reliability. Both Forms 1 and 2 of the DRS showed significantly lower correlations with political ideology than did dogmatism scores. Although each added to the level of prediction obtained when using only one of the two measures, neither the DRS nor the Dogmatism Scale was shown to add significantly more prediction than was added by the other.