Development and Validation of the Chinese Modesty Scale (CMS)

Mimi Xiong; Fengyan Wang; Ruixue Cai

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02014

Development and Validation of the Chinese Modesty Scale (CMS)

Front Psychol. 2018 Oct 23:9:2014. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02014. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Mimi Xiong^{1

2}, Fengyan Wang^{1

2}, Ruixue Cai³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Moral Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
² School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
³ School of Public Administration, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.

Abstract

This paper describes the development and method of validation of the Chinese Modesty Scale (CMS). Based on Wang's dualistic model for value and instrumental modesty, our study employed a review of the literature, in-depth interviews, open-ended investigations, and feedback from experts. An initial 14-item scale for analyzing the issue of "Chinese modesty" was developed. Then we explored the dimensions and final items of this CMS using item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with sample 1 (n = 406). After that, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to replicate the factor structure obtained through EFA with a refined, independent, 12-item scale (n = 662). Results confirmed the dualistic model (for value and instrumental modesty) on which this scale was based. That is, we found that there are two kinds of "Chinese modesty": value modesty and instrumental modesty. As a valid, reliable scale, the CMS can therefore be used to measure the "Chinese modesty" of/in different age groups.

Keywords: Chinese; instrumental modesty; modesty; scale development; value modesty.