Internal structure assessment of two measures of worldmindedness and their relationship with cultural pluralism, social distance, and social dominance orientation

Abstract

Scope and Methods of Study: The purpose of this study was to examine the structural dimensions of two scales developed to measure a worldminded attitude. Furthermore, the possibility of a higher order factor structure was explored, and higher order dimensions were related to three empirically and/or theoretically related constructs. Participants in this study included 314 undergraduate students at a mid-Western university. Each participant completed the Worldmindedness Scale, the Global-Mindedness Scale, the Pluralism and Diversity Attitude Assessment, the Social Distance Scale, the Social Dominance Orientation Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression techniques were used to explore the research questions posited in the study.

Findings and Conclusions: Both the Worldmindedness Scale and the GlobalMindedness Scale demonstrated evidence of a multidimensional factor structure, each comprising five factors. A higher order factor model was supported from the interfactor correlations across the scales. This higher order model was presented and discussed. Cultural Pluralism, Social Distance, and Social Dominance Orientation were all found to be significantly related to structural dimensions of the scales in question. The demonstration of a positive relationship between nationalism and internationalism was found.