Polarity Scale, also known as the Tomkins Polarity Scale

Tomkins, S. S. (1964). The Polarity Scale. New York: Springer.

Stone, W. F., & Schaffner, P. E. (1997). The Tomkins Polarity Scale: Recent developments. Bulletin of the Tomkins Institute, 4, 17-22.

	Table of Contents
	Description
	History of Use
	References

Description:

Purpose		The Polarity Scale was designed to assess individuals' life orientations. It distinguishes between two ideologies: Humanism derives meaning and value from positive idealization of human experience. It is characterized by a belief in the goodness of human nature, acceptance of experience, and direct affective responses to life experiences. Normativism believes in a negative idealization of human experience as valueless and meaningless. It is characterized by a belief in the evil and weakness of human nature, evaluation of experience by external standards, and indirect responses to life experiences.
Questions		43 paired items in which participants are asked whether they: (A) choose the left idea (B) choose the right idea (C) like both ideas (D) care for neither idea
Sub-scales		N/A
Domain
Psychometrics
Sample items		1. Children should be taught to obey what is right even though they may not always feel like it. Children should be encouraged to express themselves even though parents may not always like it.

References:

Scale:

Tomkins, S. S. (1964). The Polarity Scale. New York: Springer.

Stone, W. F., & Schaffner, P. E. (1997). The Tomkins Polarity Scale: Recent developments. Bulletin of the Tomkins Institute, 4, 17-22.

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