Scale Analysis

The California F Scale is a psychological tool developed to assess authoritarian personality and predisposition toward fascism. It was created in the 1940s by Theodor W. Adorno and his colleagues as part of their study of the authoritarian personality. The scale consists of a series of statements to which participants are asked to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement, typically using a Likert scale. These statements reflect opinions on obedience to authority, the importance of social rules, and the division of people into strong and weak.

Scale Objective

The purpose of this scale is to measure authoritarian personality and predisposition toward fascist attitudes. This is achieved through a set of statements that evaluate individuals’ attitudes and beliefs regarding authority, obedience, and the division of people into strong and weak. The scale was designed to identify psychological characteristics such as the need for strong leadership, resistance to questioning authority, and a tendency to conform to social norms. Its main objective is to provide a tool for studying social and political behaviors, facilitating the understanding of how authoritarian tendencies form and how they can influence social dynamics and political developments. By analyzing the results of the scale, researchers aim to uncover deeper psychological patterns that contribute to the emergence of authoritarian and fascist attitudes in society.

Scale Calibration

The CFS-77 consists of 77 items, which are rated as follows:
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Mostly Disagree
3 = Somewhat Disagree
4 = Somewhat Agree
5 = Mostly Agree
6 = Strongly Agree

References

Adorno, T. W., Frenkel-Brunswik, E., Levinson, D. J., & Sanford, R. N. (1950). The authoritarian personality. New York: Harper.
Bass, B. M. (1955). Authoritarianism or acquiescence? Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 51, 616–623.
Christie, R., Havel, J., & Seidenberg, B. (1958). Is the F Scale irreversible? Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 56, 143–149.
Kirscht, J. P., & Dillehay, R. C. (1967). Dimensions of authoritarianism: A review of research and theory. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press.
Robinson, J. P., & Shaver, P. R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, Michigan.