Generalized Belief Measure – GBM
A semantic differential scale designed to measure beliefs and attitudes concerning a wide range of topics.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Generalized Belief Measure – GBM was developed by James C. McCroskey (1996). It is designed to measure Belief evaluation. The scale is intended for use with General population.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very strong feeling (Left), 2 = Strong feeling (Left), 3 = Fairly weak feeling (Left), 4 = Undecided / Do not understand, 5 = Fairly weak feeling (Right), 6 = Strong feeling (Right), 7 = Very strong feeling (Right).
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 6 to 42. Interpretation guidelines:
- Strongly Negative Belief: 6 – 18
- Neutral / Undecided: 19 – 29
- Strongly Positive Belief: 30 – 42
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha > .90.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.