Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS)

Background

The Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure a person's level of psychological attachment, admiration, or obsession with celebrities. Originally developed by Lynn E. McCutcheon and colleagues in 2002 , it identifies patterns ranging from healthy entertainment to compulsive "celebrity worship", assessing how a celebrity influences a fan's daily life and emotions.

The Millisecond 34-item CAS is based on the published scale by John Maltby, Lynn E. McCutcheon and colleagues from 2005.

Task Procedure

After naming their favorite celebrity, participants are asked to answer 34 5-point likert type questions with the answer choices ranging from "strongly disagree" (1) to "strongly agree" (5). Seven questions cover the subcategory 'Entertainment-Social', thirteen questions cover the subcategory 'Intense-Personal' and six questions cover the subcategory 'Borderline-Pathological'. The remaining 8 questions can be viewed as filler items.

What it Measures

The Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS) is a normed self-report assessment tool of celebrity attitudes

Psychological domains

• Entertainment-Social: Measures healthy interest in celebrities for social interaction and entertainment.
• Intense-Personal: Captures obsessive, compulsive feelings and a perceived emotional bond with a celebrity.
• Borderline-Pathological: Identifies extreme, potentially dysfunctional behaviors or willingness to perform illegal acts for a celebrity.

Main Performance Metrics

• Z-scores and p-values for each of the three subscales: normed measures for responses on the 'Entertainment', 'Personal', and 'Pathological' subdimensions

Psychiatric Conditions

The following patient groups report elevated CAS scores (particularly the 'Personal' and 'Pathological' subcategories):

• Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
• Eating Disorders
• Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors
• High Neuroticism/Psychoticism
• Anxiety Disorders
• Depression

References

Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS).

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McCutcheon, LE, Lange, R & Houran, J (2002), 'Conceptualization and Measurement of Celebrity Worship', British Journal of Psychology, 93 (1), 67-87.

McCutcheon, LE, Ashe, DD, Houran, J & Maltby, J (2003), 'A Cognitive Profile of Individuals Who Tend to Worship Celebrities', Journal of Psychology, 137 (4), 309-322

Maltby, J., Day, L., McCutcheon, L.E., Houran, J. & Ashe, D. (2006). Extreme celebrity worship, fantasy proneness and dissociation: Developing the measurement and understanding of celebrity worship within a clinical personality context. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 273-283

McCutcheon, LE., Scott Jr., VB., Arugate, MS. & Parker, J. (2006). Exploring the Link Between Attachment and the Inclination to Obsess About or Stalk Celebrities. North American Journal of Psychology, 8 (2), 289-300.

Swami, V., Chamorro-Premuzic, T., Mastor, K., Siran, F. H., Said, M. M. M., Jaafar, J., Sinniah, D., ... Pillai, S. K. (December 19, 2011). Celebrity worship among university students in Malaysia: A methodological contribution to the Celebrity Attitude Scale. European Psychologist, 16, 4, 334-342.

Vega, C. B. C., Magpantay, J. A. G., Zapanta, J. Y. R., Tolentino, R. M. N., Varona, A. A., Tengco-Pacquing, C., & McCutcheon, L. E. (March 01, 2013). A Brief Report on Celebrity Attitude Scale Data Collected in the Philippines. North American Journal of Psychology, 15, 1.)