Tolerance for Disagreement Scale (TFD)

Teven .‚ Richmond‚ & McCroskey‚ 1998
 
1.    It is more fun to be involved in a discussion where there is a lot of disagreement.
2.    I enjoy talking to people with points of view different than mine.
3.    I don’t like to be in situations where people are in disagreement.
4.    I prefer being in groups where everyone’s beliefs are the same as mine.
5.    Disagreements are generally helpful.
6.    I prefer to change the topic of discussion when disagreement occurs.
7.    I tend to cr‎eate disagreements in conversations because it serves a useful purpose.
8.    I enjoy arguing with other people about things on which we disagree.
9.    I would prefer to work independently rather than to work with other people and have disagreements.
10.I would prefer joining a group where no disagreements occur.
11.I don’t like to disagree with other people.
12.Given a choice‚ I would leave a conversation rather than continue a disagreement.
13.I avoid talking with people who I think will disagree with me.
14.I enjoy disagreeing with others.
15.Disagreement stimulates a conversation and causes me to communicate more. 
5 = Strongly Agree‚ 4 = Agree‚ 3 = Undecided‚ 2 = Disagree‚ 1 = Strongly Disagree
Scoring:
Step 1. Add the scores for the following items: 1‚ 2‚ 5‚ 7‚ 8‚ 14‚ and 15.
Step 2. Add the scores for the following items: 3‚ 4‚ 6‚ 9‚ 10‚ 11‚ 12‚ and 13.
Step 3. Complete the following formula: TFD = 48 + total of Step 1 – total of Step 2.
Scores above 46 indicate High TFD. Scores below 32 indicate Low TFD. Scores between 32 and 46 indicate moderate TFD
 
This instrument can be found at: http://www.jamescmccroskey.com/measures/tfd.htm
 

Teven‚ J. J.‚ Richmond‚ V. P.‚ & McCroskey‚ J. C. (1998). Measuring tolerance for disagreement. Communication Research Reports‚ 15‚ 209-217.

Richmond‚ V. P.‚ & McCroskey‚ J. C. (2001). Organizational communication for survival: Making work‚ work (2nd Ed.) Chapter 14. Needham Heights‚ MA: Allyn & Bacon

Knutson‚ Patricia Kearney; And Others. (1979). Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Speech Communication Association (Los Angeles‚ California‚ February 18-21‚ 1979)

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