Document Type

Article

Article Version

Post-print

Publication Date

2004

Abstract

Concern about the validity of the DIT and Fisher and Sweeney’s measurement of conservative, moderate and liberal political orientation using a seven-point Likert scale motivates our study. We perform two experiments to investigate these interrelated issues. First, we assess the degree to which 569 undergraduate students’ political orientation as measured by a seven-point Likert scale associates with their corresponding political orientation as measured by a ninepoint Likert scale. We find differences in categorization of subjects depending upon scale used, suggesting problems with the sampling distribution arise when a seven-point Likert scale is used for categorizing subjects. Second, we measure 115 students’ political orientation utilizing a nine-point Likert scale to assess Fisher and Sweeney’s findings. Our results suggest that Fisher and Sweeney’s findings may relate to their using a seven-point Likert scale in measuring political orientation rather than a flaw in the DIT’s validity resulting from an embedded political ideology.

Comments

Copyright 2004 Emerald

Publication Title

Research on Professional Responsibility and Ethics in Accounting

Published Citation

Richard A. Bernardi, David F. Bean and Dawn Massey. 2004. “The influence of political ideology on DIT scores: fact or artifact?” Research on Professional Responsibility and Ethics in Accounting, Volume 9, pp. 21-47.

DOI

10.1016/S1574-0765(04)09002-8

Peer Reviewed

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