SCALES FOR ASSAYING PSYCHOLOGICAL MODERNIZATION IN AFRICA

It is a pity that systematic surveys of public opinion are not being continuously conducted in sub-Saharan Africa during the current period of apparently rapid social change: the data could be part of the historical record and would be most relevant to the cross-cultural testing of theories. Free from the delusion that one person can possibly gather such information on a grand scale but convinced that some data may be valuable per se and for other research objectives, I have been making a modest number of surveys in eastern Africa since 1964. Toward those ends an interviewing schedule (which can also function as a written questionnaire) has had to be devised to measure, however crudely, opinion and attitudes related to what can perhaps be called "modernization." The emerging scales are based upon items that either have been deliberately borrowed from the existing literature, with or without modification, or have been constructed more or less de novo. I have, in fact, striven to be as unoriginal as possible, so that results from Africa could be measured against a baseline in the West. At this point in time, partially in response to requests for copies of the scales but also to invite others toiling in the African vineyard to use any or all of the items, it seems useful to describe the scale and reproduce the items. Unless we have more or less standardized instruments, we say between tight lips, results from different studies cannot be compared and contrasted. We do not have to invent a new thermometer each time we ascertain temperature; or, to give a slight twist to the observation of a sociologist concerning the reluctance of scholars to use each other's concepts, we ought not to feel as if we were * The research described in this paper is sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. In Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda the surveys were conducted by the professional staff of Marco Surveys Limited, whose director, Gordon M. Wilson, has also been most helpful as a stimulating consultant; in addition, Dr. Wilson generously assumed financial responsibility for three of the urban elite studies. In Somalia, Dorothy L. Gier miraculously found time and energy to administer the schedules under not particularly easy circumstances; and General Mohamed Abshir has sympathetically and understandingly encouraged the research. Many Africans readily, yes eagerly and I think validly, provided the data; I would inadequately express heartfelt appreciation to them. t Leonard W. Doob is a Professor of Psychology and Director of African Studies, Yale University.