Different Types of Attitude Tests

An attitude test is a questionnaire containing a set of questions (10 to 15) pertaining to various situations that a child comes across in his day-to-day life and his likely responses to them.

Attitude Tests help a child to become aware of his own present state of attitudes and values. Through the guidance of the guru the child is inspired to inculcate more positive attitudes and values.

A note of caution may not be out of place here. Normally children have the tendency to mark the ideal response to a given situation. Hence they are to be reminded time and again that what is required is their natural response (which may or may not match with the ideal one). Otherwise the purpose of the attitude test is defeated.

TYPE I: Choose your answer and explain

A Situation is given to the students. Different choices of conduct / behaviour are also put forth. The students are asked to pick one of the choices and explain why they would do so?

Few illustrative examples are given below:

1. You are waiting in a long queue. You want to leave the place early, as you have some other urgent work.
   1. Will you give false excuses and go to the first place?
   2. Will you explain your urgency and try to go earlier?
   3. Will you wait patiently for your turn?
2. You go to a sweet shop to buy a candy. The shop-keeper is away. Will you:
   1. Wait for the shop-keeper to come, pay the money and get the candy?
   2. Make sure that nobody is watching you and then take a candy, put it fast into your mouth and go away?
   3. Will you simply tell yourself, “Taking away a single sweet from such a big shop, will not affect the shopkeeper in a big way” and take the candy and leave the place?
3. You happened to accidentally break a beautiful flower vase when your mother was away. When she comes back and asks you:
   1. Will you say that you found the vase broken when you entered the room?
   2. Will you say that your little brother or servant maid’s little daughter had done it?
   3. Will you say that you did it by mistake and apologize for it?

TYPE II: Action-Reaction

Here, only the situation is given to the students; choices of behaviour/ conduct are not spelt out. The students are asked to spell out how they would react in the  given situation and also explain the reasons for their behaviour.

1. While giving you change, the shop-keeper has given you Rs.10 extra. What will you do? Why?
2. You find some of your friends taking away chalk pieces from the school. What will you do? Why?

TYPE III: Action-Reaction

Here, some self-assessment questions are put forth to the students and the students are asked to assess their responses for themselves. The Guru does not ask the students to explain the answers or give reasons for their choices. A short silent sitting session immediately after this session helps the students analyse their choices of behavior and seek guidance from within to make a correction in their attitudes wherever necessary.

Sl. No	Self-Assessment Questions	Always	Sometimes	Never
1	Have you returned things that you have borrowed from your friends?
2	Have you lied and boasted to your friends’ just to impress them?
3	Have you been punished in school for going late?

TYPE IV: Empathy Test (To put yourselves in another person’s shoes)

Giving direct advice to students can be replaced by this type of attitude test. For example, instead of saying: “Don’t quarrel or fight with your friends. And if for some reason, you happen to do so, don’t hesitate to apologize”, here we ask the student to visualise a reversal of the above situation and elicit the student’s responses. By doing so, the student will learn to look at situations from both sides instead of looking at it only from his / her own point of view.

1.  Your friend picked-up a quarrel with you and after that he has not been talking to you.
   1. Will you wait for him to apologize to you – why? OR
   2. Will you come forward to mend the situation with a friendly conversation – why?
2. You had a tiff with your friend. You knew that you were on the wrong side and so you have apologized to your friend. However, even after your apology, your friend is not talking to you.
   1. How would you feel?
   2. What do you think is the right course of action in such a situation and explain why?

TYPE V: Say Ok or Not Ok

Some real-life situations are placed before the students. The students are asked to tick whether these are okay or not okay and explain the reasons therefore.

1. Trimming your finger nails at least once a week.
2. Talking with your friend in class when the teacher is writing notes on the blackboard in the classroom.
3. Your friend has not brought lunch/pen. You will share your lunch/pen.
4. Your father is talking to someone on phone. You are trying to catch his attention by shouting in a loud voice: “Daddy! Don’t talk. Let us go to the Fun City. “
5. Keeping your books, bags, toys etc in their proper places.
6. You are hungry but you find your mom talking to the guests at home – would you pester her to come immediately and serve you food.

TYPE VI: Data Collection Tests

These are spin-offs from the Empathy tests. Here again, instead of a direct lesson such as: “You must pay your respects to parents, teachers and elders when you see them / meet them; you must thank all those who are responsible for your welfare in any which way; you need to apologise when you have wronged anyone.”etc, questions as listed below are put forth to the students. Through this test, the students are goaded to think of situations and circumstances where they need to exhibit etiquette/good conduct / manners etc.

To whom and on what occasions would you:

1. Wish “Good – morning/afternoon/night” and why?
2. Say “Thank You” and why?
3. Say “Sorry” and why?

It must be noted that in such tests, the Balvikas Guru must avoid being judgemental or overtly critical/ patronizing. The Guru has to bear in mind that he or she should remain a facilitator and gently guide the children towards analysing the situation on their own and help them arrive at the right decisions, without imposing his or her own value on the children.

Baba tells us that teachers are reservoirs from which, through the process of education, students draw the water of life. Therefore example not precept is the best teaching aid’.

“Attitude is contagious. But don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” – Tom Stoppard