Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale (3D-WS, Ardelt)
Psychology: PersonalityReliability: alphas 0.71–0.85 across 3 dimensions3 sample items
About this scale
A 39-item measure of wisdom across three dimensions: cognitive, reflective, and affective. Measures personal wisdom rather than general knowledge.
Sample item(s)
“I either get very angry or depressed if things go wrong (affective, reverse)”
“Things often go wrong for me by no fault of my own (reflective, reverse)”
“People are either good or bad (cognitive, reverse)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alphas 0.71–0.85 across 3 dimensions. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Free for academic use.
Source & citation
Ardelt, M. (2003): Empirical assessment of a three-dimensional wisdom scale. Research on Aging, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 275–324.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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