SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURES FOR OPERATIONAL CODE ANALYSIS - MEASURING AND MODELING CARTER,JIMMY OPERATIONAL CODE

In this article we introduce a new scoring system for doing operationa l code analysis and test its reliability and validity by measuring and modeling President Jimmy Carter's operational code, Using speeches fr om the public record, we construct indices for the elements of the ope rational code construct. Based upon the valences and scaled intensitie s of verbs uttered in the speeches, President Jimmy Carter's views of the political universe and approaches to political action in different issue areas are identified and compared, The results of the analysis provide reasonable support for the face, construct, and content validi ty of the operational code indices, We find that Carter's view of the political universe and approach to political action were consistent ac ross issue;areas during the first three years of his term as president , Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan President Carter's supp ort for human rights remained steadfast. Statistically significant shi fts occurred in his views of the Soviet Union and others in the politi cal universe and in his approach to political action regarding the con duct of U.S.-Soviet relations and other issues.