Conceptual and Methodological Issues in the Measurement of Attitudes Towards Science

Abstract

p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }

This study provides a critique of the use of the construct attitude in science education and argues for the need to clarify the attitude construct in science education. After positing a conceptual definition for attitudes derived from the social psychology and persuasion literatures, this study makes a demarcation between science attitudes and attitudes towards science. Based on this conceptual clarity, the study offers a constructive critique of five commonly used measures of attitudes in science education and offers a theoretically grounded alternative. Data gathered to test the alternative measure’s validity and reliability was in the main consistent with strong validity and reliability claims for the new measure. Implications for science education are discussed.