Scale Analysis

The McClosky and Schaar Anomia Scale is a psychometric tool designed to assess the concept of anomia in social contexts. Anomia refers to a condition in which social rules, values, and norms are unclear, disintegrated, or entirely absent, leading to feelings of disorganization and disorientation. The scale consists of a series of questions or statements to which participants are asked to express their degree of agreement or disagreement. Their responses are used to determine the level of anomia they feel or perceive. This scale can be applied across various social environments and populations, offering valuable data for understanding social stability or instability and individuals’ perceptions of social institutions. The reliability and validity of the scale have been evaluated in numerous studies, making it a dependable tool in sociological and psychological research.

Scale Objective

The objective of this scale is to measure and understand the concept of anomia, that is, the sense of disorganization and the absence of clear social rules and values. The scale is designed to capture the degree to which individuals feel disoriented and insecure within social environments where traditional norms and institutions may be weakened or absent. Through a series of questions, the scale seeks to reveal individuals’ perceptions of the stability and cohesion of their society, as well as their sense of individual and collective identity. The data collected can be used to analyze social conditions and to shape strategies aimed at strengthening social cohesion and stability. In this way, the scale makes an important contribution to the understanding of social phenomena and the formulation of policies that promote social well-being.

Scale Calibration

The MASAS-9 scale consists of 9 items which are scored as follows:
Agree
Disagree

Bibliography

McClosky, H., & Schaar, J. H. (1965). Psychological dimensions of anomy. American Sociological Review, 30(1), 14–40.
Robinson, John P., & Shaver, Phillip R. (1969). Measures of Political Attitudes. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Heydari, Arash., Davoudi, Iran., & Teymoori, Ali. (2011). Revising the assessment of feeling of anomie: Presenting a multidimensional scale. Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences, 30, 1086–1090.