Independence (Self-Concept)

What it measures

Eleven items measure the independent dimension of self-concept, capturing self-reliance, uniqueness, internal direction, and the primacy of personal identity over social roles.

Response format

5-point Likert (1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree)

Scale items

• I should be judged on my own merit.
• I voice my opinions in group discussions.
• My personal identity, independent of others, is very important to me.
• I prefer to be self-reliant rather than dependent on others.
• I act as a unique person, separate from others.
• It is important to me to act as an independent person.
• I have an opinion about most things: I know what I like and I know what I don't like.
• I enjoy being unique and different from others.
• I don't change my opinions in conformity with those of the majority.
• Understanding myself is a major goal in my life.
• I enjoy being admired for my unique qualities.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Developed by Choi and Miracle (2004) drawing on Singelis (1994) and related measures. Alphas .82–.86 for different ad types; separate alphas for US and Korean samples consistent with this range. Designed for cross-cultural research on individualism-collectivism. A companion interdependence subscale was also developed.

Citation

Choi, Y. K., & Miracle, G. E. (2004). The effectiveness of comparative advertising in Korea and the United States. Journal of Advertising, 33(4), 75–87.

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