Thurstone's measurement of social values revisited forty years later.

Abstract

IN 1927 THURSTONE REPORTED A SCALING STUDY OF THE JUDGED SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMES AND OFFENSES RANGING FROM RAPE TO VAGRANCY. THAT STUDY HAS BEEN REPEATED 40 YR. LATER USING THE SAME STIMULI, THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS, AND AN EQUIVALENT POPULATION OF SS. IT WAS FOUND THAT: (1) THERE WAS MORE HOMOGENEITY OF ATTITUDES TOWARD THE SERIOUSNESS OF CRIMES 40 YR. AGO THAN TODAY, (2) OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON ARE NOW JUDGED RELATIVELY MORE SERIOUS AND SEX OFFENSES RELATIVE LESS SO, AND (3) OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ARSON, ARE JUDGED LESS SERIOUS RELATIVE TO THE OTHERS THAN THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY. SOME SEX DIFFERENCES ARE NOTED. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)