How Wide is Your World?

The March 2013 issue of Psychology Today presented this "Identification with Humanity" scale developed by psychologist Sam McFarland to measure "a sense of caring for others that transcends race, ethnicity, and all other distinctions."

To determine to what extent you see yourself first and foremost as a member of the human race and care equally about all people of the world, take this quiz. Consider each question with respect to the groups below, ranking your answers from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much or very often).

A. People in my community
B. People in my country
C. All humans everywhere

1. How often do you use the word "we" to refer to each of the above groups?
2. How much do you identify with (feel a part of, feel love toward, have concern for) each of the above groups?
3. How much would you say care (feel upset, want to help) when bad things happen to each of the above groups?
4. To what degree do you think of the above groups of people as "my family"?

Scoring: Add up your score for each group, and divide by four to get your scores. The average Identification with All Humanity Score (score for Group C) is 3. Fewer than 10% of people tested averaged 4 or higher for Group C.

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