Farris, "Is the Strength Deployment Inventory a valid research instrument for measuring motivational values in an individualistic and a collectivistic culture?" 2001

Wendy Sue Farris, Ed.D.

Abstract (Summary)
The Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) purports to be a universal instrument for measuring three primary motivational values: Altrustic-Nurturing, Assertive-Directing, and Analytic-Autonomizing. The present study sought to validate the SDI as a research instrument for individuals within an individualistic and a collectivistic culture. 564 American participants represented the normative sample within an individualistic culture. 127 Chinese respondents from Hong Kong were the sample from a collectivistic culture. Validity was examined within each culture separately, and then results were compared between the two cultures. It was found that, while the SDI may have value as an educational tool, its utility as a cross-cultural research instrument is questionable, largely due to the ipsative nature of the scales. Results showed that the subscale reliability for Analytic-Autonomizing dimension was weak in the Chinese population, and the factor analysis exposed stronger results for the American sample than for the Chinese group. Also, mean differences revealed surprising differences on the Analytic-Autonomizing dimension for the American sample and on the Assertive-Directing dimension for the Chinese respondents. These outcomes were counter-intuitive based on assumptions that were made about each population in the review of literature. Until questions about these issues are settled, the SDI should not be used for cross-cultural research purposes. It may continue to be administered appropriately when the purpose is to inspire personal growth and develop self-awareness, as it was originally intended. Alternatively, the SDI could be revised using a traditional Likert scale format, which may generate the validity necessary for using the instrument in cross-cultural research.

Advisor: Hocevar, Dennis