Measurement &

Scaling

Measurement

The assignment of numbers or other symbols to

characteristics of objects according to certain
prespecified rules.

Scaling:

The generation of a continuum upon which measured

objects are located.

(continuum is a continuous sequence in which the

elements change gradually.)

Measurements:

Measurement may be defined as the assignment of

numbers to characteristics of objects; persons; states or
events according to certain pre specified rules.

We do not measure the object itself but only its

characteristics of being present.

Ex. We never measure people ; only measure their

age; height; weight or some other characteristics.

Classification of scales:

1. Nominal Scale

2. Ordinal Scale

3. Interval Scale

4. Ratio Scale

1.Nominal Scale:

Characteristics:

Numbers identify & classify objects.

Ex. Numbers assign to runners.

Numbering of football players.(1;2;3.)

Brand numbers-Maruti 800

2.Ordinal Scale:

Characteristics:

Numbers indicate the relative positions of the objects

but not the magnitude of differences between them.

Ex. Quality ranking

Ranking of teams in tournament

Rank order of winner. First ; Second; Third.

3.Interval Scale:

Characteristics:

Differences between objects can be compared

Zero point is arbitrary.

Lower point and upper point is fixed.(0-to-10)

Where it is standing; it allows you to compare the

difference between characteristics of objects.

Ex. Temperature (Fahrenheit/centigrade)

Attitude towards brand; opinions; index numbers.

9.8; 9.7..

4.Ratio Scale:

Characteristics:

Zero point is fixed.

Ratios of scale values can be computed.

It helps to measure the difference between two or more

characteristics of objects.

In marketing sales; costs; market share and the rate of return or

return on investment calculated by this.

Ex. Debt equity ratio should be 2:1.

(2=return; 1=investment)

Where as 1:1 =ok

2:1= (very good)

1:2=(worst)

Attitude Scales

Application of scale for attitude measurement.

1. Thurston's Scale

2.Likerts Scale

3.Guttmans Scale

4. Semantic differential Scale

5.Staple Scale

1.Likerts Scale:

Rensis Likert developed an attitude measurement Scale;

where there are five response categories ranging from
Strongly disagree to strongly agree which requires the
respondents to indicate a degree of agreement or
disagreement with each of a series of statements
related to the stimulus objects.
The respondent has to describe how far do they agree or
disagree with the statement about the stimulus objects.

A researcher design a questionnaire with the following

instructions.

Instructions: Following are the opinion about our

jewellery showroom XLNS.

Likert Scale:

1. Strongly disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neither agree nor disagree

4. Agree

5. Strongly agree.

Statement of opinions

1.XYZ sells large variety of gold jewelery.

2.XYZ sells high quality jew. With 90% resale value.

3. I like to shop at XYZ because of its services.

4. I like to shop at XYZ because it is close to my house.

Now each response is given a numerical score that shows how far the
response is favorable.

2.Semantic differential
Scale:

A seven point rating scale with end-points associated

with bipolar labels that have semantic meanings.

The semantic differential scale is frequently used in

measuring attitude in marketing research.

It requires seven point rating scales bounded at each

end by one of two bipolar adjectives or phrases.

These seven points can also be expressed from one pole

as extremely; very somewhat neither nor in
positive aspect and leads the same expression towards
the other pole in negative aspects.

An example of profit of popular

brands of tooth paste is given below.
Good quality ...1234567poor quality
High price ..1234567Low price
Stops bad 1234567..Does not
breath

Stop

Stop tooth1234567..Does not

Decay

Stop

Strong Gum.1234567..Does not

strengthen gum

3.Guttman Scale

Believed that attitude phrase could ranked. Such that

when respondents answer positively to a phrase that;
they also answer positively to a phrases of lower ranks.

Ex. If a person can easily climb stairs up to third floor of

a building ; he/she can easily climb the stairs up to 2nd
floor as well.

As per the table a respondent with a favorable attitude

score should have favorable attitude in all other lower
ranking statements.

But exact degree of agreement cannot be measure with

the help of Guttman Scale.

Ex.

Bank A

Bank B

Prompt service||||||.|||

Convenient |||||||||.|
location
Varied Service..|||||||||.|

High interest rate..||||||||.|

Convenient timing..||||||||.|

4.Thurston Scale:

The method of equal-appearing intervals; as originally

described by Thurston and one of the best known
techniques in attitude measurement.

First of all a large number of statements pertaining to

the subject of enquiry are collected.

This can be done from variety of sources such as

personal experience; the existing literature on the
subject and discussion with knowledgeable person.

The statements should range from one extreme of

favorable attitude to the other extreme of unfavorable
attitude.

Each subject was given 11 cards.(11.pts rating scale)

each one of these bearing a letter; the first card having
letter A the second B and so on.

ABCDEFGHIJ.K
Most unfav.

Neutral

most favorable.

Thus the cards between A & F seemed to represent the

varying degree of unfavorable attitude while those
between F & K were supposed to represent the varying
degree of favorable attitude.

So that the intervals between two successive piles

would represent equal-appearing intervals for each
respondent.

And it is indicating that the respondent had .

Rated each statement on 11-points rating scale.

Then it becomes necessary to obtain a typical or

average value in respect of each statement; this value
can be regarded as the scale value of the statement.

But statement should be such that can be accepted or

rejected in accordance with the attitude of the
respondent.

As double-barrelled statements tend to be highly

ambiguous; these should be avoided.

The researcher must ensure that the statement

included in the list should belong to the attitude
variable which is to be measured.

5.Staple Scale:

A scale for measuring attitudes that consists of a single

adjective in the middle of an even-numbered range of
value from -5 to +5 without a neutral point(zero).

A single adjective describing the object placed in the

middle of the scale.

It aims at measuring both the direction & intensity of

attitudes at the same time.

It differs from the semantic differential scale that its

scale values indicate how close the descriptor or
adjective fits the object evaluated.

EX. Bank A

+5

+4

+3

+2

+1

Prompt service

-1

-2

-3

-4

-5