Isms and the structure of social attitudes

Social attitude measurement has been limited by inadequate structural models. In this study, broad, basic dimensions were sought, with the assumption that crucial variables are represented as terms ending in -ism (isms). 266 isms were extracted from a dictionary, and items were built from their definitions. In a sample of 500 college students, the most replicable item structure had 3 factors; one of these 3 factors split into 2 factors in the 4-factor structure. A replication study confirmed that Conservatism and Authoritarianism are subcomponents of the largest factor. The other factors, though highly meaningful, seem more sparsely represented in previous research. No factor was highly related to personality traits other than Openness to Experience. The factors can serve as content-validity benchmarks for developing improved measurement models in this consequential, discrete domain of individual differences.