A Study of Valid Measurement in Science Related Attitude(I)

과학 관련 태도의 타당한 측정을 위한 연구(I)

  • Published : 1995.09.30

Abstract

The use of attitude as a psychological concepts dates back to 1918(Thomas and Znaniecki). Assessment of attitudes has been conducted by a number of researchers since then in a wide range of contexts: religion, government, industry, community interrelations, and education; and sociology and psychology. In science, the number of research summaries and meta-analyses points to the significance of the concept of attitude toward science. However, in spite of the wide spread use of attitude assessment in science, many of the existing instruments have severe limitations. Those limitations serve as the rationale for the construction of a new instrument to assess attitudes toward science The term "attitude" and "science" are somewhat ambiguous, taking on different meanings for different people in different contexts. Very often an assessment includes several dimensions of attitude and, therefore, provides no clear idea of what was really measured. As a result there is no consistency with respect to the construct among attitude instruments. To clarify this issue, Gauld(1982), Munby(1983a, 1983b), Blosser(1984) and Haladyna and Shaughnessy(1982) offer some guiding descriptions. Attitude as it relates to science is divided into two areas-scientific attitude and attitude toward science. Scientific attitude refers to a particular approach a person assumes for solving problems, for assessing ideas and information, and for making decisions. It includes such scientific methods and predispositions as objectivity, suspended judgement, critical evaluation, and skepticism. Munby(1983a, 1983b) characterized scientific attitude as thinking as scientists do, that is, acting on evidence in a disciplined way. Attitude toward science. on the other hand, may address scientific attitudes, scientists, scientific careers, methods of teaching science, scientific interests, parts of curriculum, or the subject of science in the classroom (Blosser,1984). It may refer to belief about processes, theoretical products, technological products, or the science-technology relationship (Munby, 1983).

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