Scale Overview
The Sociomoral Reflection Measure – Short Form (SRM-SF) was developed by John C. Gibbs, Karen S. Basinger, & Diana Fuller (1992). It is designed to measure Sociomoral reflection and moral reasoning stage. The scale is intended for use with Children (Grade 4+), adolescents, and adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 11 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Contract and Truth, Affiliation and Life, Property and Law.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Contract and Truth |
1,2,3,4 |
4 |
| Affiliation and Life |
5,6,7,8 |
4 |
| Property and Law |
9,10,11 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Not important, 2 = Important, 3 = Very important.
Scoring
Items are summed.
Total scores range from 100 to 400. Interpretation guidelines:
- Stage 1 (Moral development stage characterized by unilateral and physicalist reasoning): 100 – 149
- Stage 2 (Moral development stage characterized by exchanging and instrumental reasoning): 150 – 249
- Stage 3 (Moral development stage characterized by mutual and prosocial reasoning): 250 – 349
- Stage 4 (Moral development stage characterized by systemic and societal reasoning): 350 – 400
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High test-retest and internal consistency reported in validation studies.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.