How important would you say religion is in your life? If religion is extremely important‚ use the top of the ladder; if it is not at all important‚ use the bottom.
Now‚ how about the respect you have for yourself as a person that is‚ your feelings of being a worthwhile and worthy person‚ as contrasted to feeling that you are a failure and don’t amount to much. Think of worthwhileness as the top‚ sense of failure as the bottom.
To what extent do you feel there is a good deal you can do yourself to make your life happier and more satisfying than it is ‚ as contrasted to the feel in g that there isn’t very much you can do about it yourself . Let the top of the ladder stand for being able to do a good deal for yourself‚ the bottom stand for a feel in g of rather complete helplessness.
How about your confidence in yourself in general that is‚ how sure you feel of yourself. Think of the top of the ladder as complete confidence in yourself ‚ the bottom as not being at all sure of yourself.
Would you say that‚ by and large‚ you enjoyed yourself yesterday? Let’s see‚ yesterday was: ___. Think of the top as having enjoyed yourself a lot‚ the bottom as not at all.
Now‚ how about the extent to which you feel you have an opportunity to do what you would like to do‚ as contrasted to the feeling that you are doing only what you have “got” to do. Think of the top of the ladder as being completely free to do what you want to do‚ the bottom as doing only what you have to do.
How would you rate yourself as to how successful or unsuccessful you have been in terms of achieving your own goals and aims in life? Think of the top of the ladder as being completely successful‚ the bottom as being entirely unsuccessful.
To what extent do you feel your life is full of troubles or obstacles? This time think of the top of the ladder as indicating a person whose life is mainly a whole series of problems and obstacles he is facing and the bottom as a person without troubles or obstacles.
To what extent are you worried or afraid that “things might get worse for you and your family; that is‚ to what extent are you anxious that such things as your financial situation‚ your security‚ your health‚ your social position‚ your opportunities‚ e t c .‚ might become worse than they are now? This time think of the top of the ladder as indicating you are extremely worried; the bottom indicating you are not at all worried.
After I ask you each question‚ just point to the place on the ladder you think is appropriate for you now.
This instrument can be found at: https://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/dis/infoserv/isrpub/pdf/Measuresofsocialpsychologicalattitudes_2928_.PDF
Cantril‚ H. (1965). The patterns of human concern. New Brunswick‚ NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Robinson‚ John P.‚ Shaver‚ Phillip R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research‚ University of Michigan/. Ann Arbor‚ Michigan