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The Levels of Conceptualization: False Measures of Ideological Sophistication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

Eric R. A. N. Smith
Eric R. A. N. Smith*
Affiliation:
University of California, Berkeley
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Abstract

The “level of conceptualization” index, introduced by Campbell et al. (1960), is commonly used to measure ideological awareness and sophistication among the electorate. Unfortunately, the validity and reliability of the original measure were never sufficiently examined. This article examines the level of conceptualization measures of Field and Anderson (1969) and Nie, Verba and Petrocik (1976). It reaches two major conclusions: (1) the measures under examination are neither reliable nor valid measures of the level of conceptualization construct; and (2) the measures reflect the rhetoric of contemporary political discourse rather than the actual process of political evaluation. These conclusions call into doubt the validity and reliability of the original measure of The American Voter.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 74 , Issue 3 , September 1980 , pp. 685 - 696
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1980

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