In liquid crystal compounds, molecules become polarized in the presence of an electric field. As a result, changes in the polarization and scattering of light take place. This electrooptical behaviour is exploited in liquid crystal displays. The molecular ordering depends on the polarizability. The electronic polarizabilities of some p,p'-dialkyl azo benzene liquid crystals were calculated using Lippincott’s semiempirical _-function method. The results are found to agree satisfactorily with the values calculated by i), the Lorentz-Lorentz formula using the density and refractive index values, and by ii), the bond polarizability method.