The F Scale study’s coding allowed circular reasoning to creep into interpretations

Evidence

Despite the scoring manual prepared by Mrs. Frenkel-Brunswik, the coders’ interpretative leeway remained considerable. On occasion, it was argued, certain circular reasoning seemed to creep into their interpretations. For example, rigidity was equated with an intolerance of ambiguity, while intolerance was itself explained by rigidity. — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 744

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Personality inference risk circularity but can avoid tautology by split-sample reconstruction.; Correlated scales can reveal tautological overlap rather than real psychological connections. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 522; The F scale measured ideology while assuming it indexed underlying personality (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Personality inference risk circularity but can avoid tautology by split-sample reconstruction. #expands (0.85)
• The F scale measured ideology while assuming it indexed underlying personality #expands (0.85)
• Correlated scales can reveal tautological overlap rather than real psychological connections. #expands (0.80) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 522
• Coding categories derived from prior hypotheses risk circular validation #corroborates (0.80) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 521
• Unbalanced scales can show spurious significance without true construct validity #qualifies (0.75)
• Deductive proof must rely on circular reasoning or endless chains #expands (0.72) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 963