Homophily Scales (Old Version)
Measures perceived interpersonal similarity in attitude and background between a respondent and a target person.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Homophily Scales (Old Version) was developed by James C. McCroskey, Virginia P. Richmond, & John A. Daly (1975). It is designed to measure Perceived Homophily. The scale is intended for use with General population.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 8 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Attitude Homophily, Background Homophily.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Attitude Homophily | 1,2,3,4 | 4 |
| Background Homophily | 5,6,7,8 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = 1 (Strong feeling for statement on the left/right depending on item), 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4 (Unsure/Undecided), 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = 7 (Strong feeling for statement on the left/right depending on item).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 4 to 28. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Perceived Homophily: 4 – 11
- Moderate Perceived Homophily: 12 – 20
- High Perceived Homophily: 21 – 28
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.