Scale Analysis

The New Left Scale (NLS) is a psychometric tool developed to measure attitudes and perceptions associated with the political ideology of the New Left. Emerging during the 1960s, the New Left expressed concerns and proposals regarding social justice, political rights, and environmental sustainability, while opposing traditional capitalist and imperialist structures. The scale evaluates individuals’ views on issues such as equality, social change, opposition to military intervention, and environmental protection. Participants are asked to respond to a series of statements with which they agree or disagree, thus allowing a quantitative assessment of their attitudes toward the core principles of the New Left. Through this scale, researchers can gain a better understanding of political attitudes and the ideological composition of social groups, as well as shifts in political perceptions over time.

Scale Objective

The objective of this scale is to assess and measure individuals’ political attitudes and perceptions that align with the ideas and values of the New Left. It aims to provide a reliable and valid instrument for capturing opinions on issues such as social justice, human rights, resistance to military interventions, and environmental protection. By employing this scale, researchers can better understand trends and changes in political views, analyze the ideological makeup of different social groups, and evaluate the influence of sociopolitical events on individuals’ attitudes. Furthermore, the scale facilitates exploration of how New Left values shape citizens’ political beliefs and behavior, thereby contributing to a broader understanding of social dynamics and political movements.

Scale Scoring

The NLS-61 consists of 61 items, scored on a scale from:
1 (Strongly disagree) to 7 (Strongly agree)

References

Christie, R., Friedman, L., & Ross, A. The New Left and its ideology. Unpublished paper, Department of Social Psychology, Columbia University.
Christie, R., Friedman, L. N., & Ross, A. (1969). The New Left and its ideology: An exploratory study. Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, 4 (Pt. 1), 293–294.
Robinson, John P., & Shaver, Phillip R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.