Measure of Ethical Viewpoints (MEY)
Measures an individual's ethical decision-making orientation as either utilitarian (outcome-oriented) or formal (rule-oriented) using vignettes and trait ratings.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Measure of Ethical Viewpoints (MEY) was developed by F. Neil Brady & Gloria E. Wheeler (1996). It is designed to measure Ethical Viewpoints (Utilitarianism vs. Formalism). The scale is intended for use with Adults / Employees.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 41 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Utilitarianism, Formalism.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Utilitarianism | 1,2,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19,21,23,25,27,29,30,31,32,33,34,35 | 21 |
| Formalism | 3,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,28,36,37,38,39,40,41 | 20 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not at all like my way of thinking / Not important to me, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = Neutral / Moderately important, 5 = 5, 6 = 6, 7 = Very much like my way of thinking / Very important to me.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Utilitarianism alpha: .85-.86; Formalism alpha: .74-.75.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.