The School Environment Preference Survey (SEPS) Scales

The SEPS is designed to measure the student's commitment to the set of attitudes, values, and behaviors that typically have been rewarded in traditional school environments. The Structured Role Orientation score provides an overall measure of this constuct. The overall score and the subscale scores are described below.

Structured Role Orientation
High scores typify students who are accepting of and acquiescent to authority, who seek the security of institutional and group identification, who would prefer to have specific rules and guidelines to follow, and who are disinclined to question expert judgment.

Subscales:
Self-subordination (compliant acceptance of authority)
High scoring students believe that teachers know what is best for their students, and that students should do what their teachers want them to do.

Traditionalism (identification with the institutional subculture)
High scoring students believe that students should always speak well of their school, and that they should conform to the peer group subculture of the school.

Rule Conformity (close adherence to rules of conduct)
High scoring students believe in the importance of following rules, of behaving properly and of not doing anything that might be considered wrong.

Uncriticalness (uncritical acceptance of expert judgment)
High scoring students believe that teachers are able to answer any questions in their area of specialization, and that their statements should not be questioned.