Rensis Likert

Bio: Rensis Likert is an academic researcher from University of Michigan. The author has contributed to research in topics: Conflict resolution & Value (mathematics). The author has an hindex of 14, co-authored 24 publications receiving 18505 citations.

A technique for the measurement of attitudes

Abstract: THIS paper describes a technique which has been developed for the measurement of race prejudice. This technique differs from most prejudice inventories in that it avoids the following assumptions: (a) that the individual can say, to his own or the investigator's satisfaction, "This is how prejudiced I am," and (b) that, to the extent that the individual can accurately assess his degree of antipathy, he will report honestly the findings of such introspection. Most sociologists would perhaps agree that race attitudes rarely reside on a completely articulate level. Even where the individual holds to intellectual or ideological convictions which would seem to leave no room for out-group antipathies, such do persevere. Thus, we may expect the number of Americans who honestly think themselves "unprejudiced" to be considerably larger than effective research would reveal. Moreover, the number who present themselves as unprejudiced probably exceeds considerably the number who honestly, though often inaccurately, see themselves in this light. Most indirect techniques for the measurement of attitudes have their rationale in observations such as these. The instrument to be described here is not, however, indirect in the usual sense of the word; it does not seek responses to items apparently unrelated to the attitudes investigated. We do, however, seek to measure prejudice in a manner less direct than is true of the usual prejudice scale. In our instrument we seek to measure anti-Negro prejudice. Persons are called upon to respond on social distance scales to whites and Negroes who occupy a variety of occupational positions. The measure of prejudice is derived through the summation of the differences in distance responses to Negroes as opposed to whites in the same occupations. Thus, for lack of a better label,

“Technique for the Measurement of Attitudes, A”

Abstract: THIS paper describes a technique which has been developed for the measurement of race prejudice. This technique differs from most prejudice inventories in that it avoids the following assumptions: (a) that the individual can say, to his own or the investigator's satisfaction, "This is how prejudiced I am," and (b) that, to the extent that the individual can accurately assess his degree of antipathy, he will report honestly the findings of such introspection. Most sociologists would perhaps agree that race attitudes rarely reside on a completely articulate level. Even where the individual holds to intellectual or ideological convictions which would seem to leave no room for out-group antipathies, such do persevere. Thus, we may expect the number of Americans who honestly think themselves "unprejudiced" to be considerably larger than effective research would reveal. Moreover, the number who present themselves as unprejudiced probably exceeds considerably the number who honestly, though often inaccurately, see themselves in this light. Most indirect techniques for the measurement of attitudes have their rationale in observations such as these. The instrument to be described here is not, however, indirect in the usual sense of the word; it does not seek responses to items apparently unrelated to the attitudes investigated. We do, however, seek to measure prejudice in a manner less direct than is true of the usual prejudice scale. In our instrument we seek to measure anti-Negro prejudice. Persons are called upon to respond on social distance scales to whites and Negroes who occupy a variety of occupational positions. The measure of prejudice is derived through the summation of the differences in distance responses to Negroes as opposed to whites in the same occupations. Thus, for lack of a better label,

The Human Organization: Its Management and Value

Abstract: Intended for person concerned with the problems of organizing human resources and activity and written especially for those actively engaged in management and supervision. The focus is largely on the problems of business enterprises. The book present a newer theory of organization (system 4) based on the management principles and practices of managers who are achieving the best result in America business and goverment

The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection.

Abstract: A 36-item short-form (SF-36) was constructed to survey health status in the Medical Outcomes Study. The SF-36 was designed for use in clinical practice and research, health policy evaluations, and general population surveys. The SF-36 includes one multi-item scale that assesses eight health concepts: 1) limitations in physical activities because of health problems; 2) limitations in social activities because of physical or emotional problems; 3) limitations in usual role activities because of physical health problems; 4) bodily pain; 5) general mental health (psychological distress and well-being); 6) limitations in usual role activities because of emotional problems; 7) vitality (energy and fatigue); and 8) general health perceptions. The survey was constructed for self-administration by persons 14 years of age and older, and for administration by a trained interviewer in person or by telephone. The history of the development of the SF-36, the origin of specific items, and the logic underlying their selection are summarized. The content and features of the SF-36 are compared with the 20-item Medical Outcomes Study short-form.

Leadership in Organizations

Abstract: Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Managerial Work Chapter 3. Effective Leadership Behavior Chapter 4. Leading Change and Innovation Chapter 5. Participative Leadership and Empowerment Chapter 6. Leadership Traits and Skills Chapter 7. Contingency Theories and Adaptive Leadership Chapter 8. Power and Influence Tactics Chapter 9. Dyadic Relations and Followers Chapter 10. Leadership in Groups and Teams Chapter 11. Strategic Leadership in Organizations Chapter 12. Charismatic and Transformational Leadership Chapter 13. Ethical, Servant, Spiritual, and Authentic Leadership Chapter 14. Cross-cultural Leadership and Diversity Chapter 15. Developing Leadership Skills Chapter 16. Overview and Integration

The MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36): III. Tests of data quality, scaling assumptions, and reliability across diverse patient groups.

Abstract: The widespread use of standardized health surveys is predicated on the largely untested assumption that scales constructed from those surveys will satisfy minimum psychometric requirements across diverse population groups. Data from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) were used to evaluate data completeness and quality, test scaling assumptions, and estimate internal-consistency reliability for the eight scales constructed from the MOS SF-36 Health Survey. Analyses were conducted among 3,445 patients and were replicated across 24 subgroups differing in sociodemographic characteristics, diagnosis, and disease severity. For each scale, item-completion rates were high across all groups (88% to 95%), but tended to be somewhat lower among the elderly, those with less than a high school education, and those in poverty. On average, surveys were complete enough to compute scales scores for more than 96% of the sample. Across patient groups, all scales passed tests for item-internal consistency (97% passed) and item-discriminant validity (92% passed). Reliability coefficients ranged from a low of 0.65 to a high of 0.94 across scales (median = 0.85) and varied somewhat across patient subgroups. Floor effects were negligible except for the two role disability scales. Noteworthy ceiling effects were observed for both role disability scales and the social functioning scale. These findings support the use of the SF-36 survey across the diverse populations studied and identify population groups in which use of standardized health status measures may or may not be problematic.

Toward a stewardship theory of management

Abstract: Recent thinking about top management has been influenced by alternative models of man.1 Economic approaches to governance such as agency theory tend to assume some form of homo-economicus, which depict subordinates as individualistic, opportunistic, and self-serving. Alternatively, sociological and psychological approaches to governance such as stewardship theory depict subordinates as collectivists, pro-organizational, and trustworthy. Through this research, we attempt to reconcile the differences between these assumptions by proposing a model based upon the subordinate's psychological attributes and the organization's situational characteristics.