The Reliability and Stability of Measures about People's Values and Beliefs Concerning Family Life and Social Change

This paper examines the reliability and stability of developmental idealism measures in Nepal. Developmental idealism is a cultural schema that contains beliefs and values favoring modern societies and families over traditional ones and that views modern families as causes and effects of modern societies. It also views the world as dynamic, with change from traditionality towards modernity. Earlier studies have shown that developmental idealism has been disseminated widely internationally, but provide little evidence concerning whether individual views of developmental idealism can be reliably measured or the extent to which such views are stable across time. We estimate reliability and stability of developmental idealism measures using panel data collected in Nepal. Our results indicate substantial levels of reliability, with levels equal to or nearly equal to reliability levels of standard value and belief items measured in general American surveys. There is also considerable stability of developmental idealism views across time.