Individualism and Collectivism Scale – ICS
Measures cultural orientation across four dimensions: horizontal individualism, vertical individualism, horizontal collectivism, and vertical collectivism.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Individualism and Collectivism Scale – ICS was developed by Harry C. Triandis & Michele J. Gelfand (1998). It is designed to measure Individualism and Collectivism (Horizontal and Vertical). The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Horizontal Individualism, Vertical Individualism, Horizontal Collectivism, Vertical Collectivism.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Horizontal Individualism | 1,2,3,4 | 4 |
| Vertical Individualism | 5,6,7,8 | 4 |
| Horizontal Collectivism | 9,10,11,12 | 4 |
| Vertical Collectivism | 13,14,15,16 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never or definitely no, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7, 8 = 8, 9 = Always or definitely yes.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 4 to 36. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Dimension Agreement: 4 – 15
- Moderate Dimension Agreement: 16 – 27
- High Dimension Agreement: 28 – 36
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of HI: 0.81, VI: 0.82, HC: 0.80, VC: 0.73.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.