Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale – Adult Scale (OCIS)
Measures an individual's level of cultural identification across multiple distinct cultures independently.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale – Adult Scale (OCIS) was developed by E.R. Oetting, Ph.D. & Fred Beauvais, Ph.D. (1990). It is designed to measure Cultural Identification. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 36 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: White American/Anglo Identification, Asian/Asian American Identification, Mexican American/Spanish Identification, Black/African American Identification, American Indian Identification, Other Cultural Identification.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| White American/Anglo Identification | 1,9,14,20,28,35 | 6 |
| Asian/Asian American Identification | 2,8,17,19,29,32 | 6 |
| Mexican American/Spanish Identification | 3,7,15,21,26,33 | 6 |
| Black/African American Identification | 4,10,16,22,25,34 | 6 |
| American Indian Identification | 5,11,13,23,27,31 | 6 |
| Other Cultural Identification | 6,12,18,24,30,36 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 3 = A lot, 2 = Some, 1 = A few, 0 = None at all.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 18. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Identification: 0 – 4
- Medium-Low Identification: 5 – 9
- Medium-High Identification: 10 – 14
- High Identification: 15 – 18
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency across subscales (typically alpha > 0.80).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.