Ideological style is measurable via abstraction, deduction, named doctrine, and utopia reference

Evidence

The ideological style index. This index (derived from factor analysis) consists of four inter-related variables: (a) generalizer-particularizer, the tendency to discuss issues in terms of abstract principles or in terms of specific details of the problem; (b) deductive-inductive thinking, the tendency to deduce positions on issues from abstract theory or to reason inductively from available evidence; (c) reference to a named ideology, the tendency to refer to a specific ideology or doctrine such as free enterprise or socialism; and (d) reference to a future utopia as a standard for judging policy. The Putnam research team rated each interview for the presence of each variable on 3-point scales. In computing the ideological style index, we standardized scores on each of the four variables and then gave equal weight to each variable. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2318

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the ideological style index and its four component variables used in the Putnam integrative complexity research.
• XREF: connects to: SDT converts vague ideology claims into empirically testable mediational hypotheses — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 3227