Measurement Scale

Content
 Objective of study
 Nature of Attitudes
 Relationship Between Attitudes
 Attitude Scaling
 Selecting a Measurement Scale
 Rating Scale
 Ranking scale
 Conclusion
Objective of study
 To understand Measurement scales
 Develop understanding of attitude scale
 To select appropriate scale to address
research objective
Attitude
“Attitude is a learned, stable predisposition to
respond to oneself, other persons, objects or
issues in a consistently favorable or
unfavorable
way.”

Is a settled way of thinking or feeling about

something.
Nature of Attitude
 Cognitively based attitude
Represent memories, evaluation and belief
 Affectively based attitude
Represent feeling, intuition, and emotion
 Behaviorally based attitude
Represent action or tendency to behave
Relationship between Attitude and
Behavior
 Attitude and behavior are closely linked.

Attitude as hypothetical construct

 Is not directly observable
 Is a explanatory variable
Conducting attitudinal research
Factors to be considered are:
 Specific attitudes are better predictors of
behavior.
 Strong attitude are better predictors of behavior
than weak attitude.
 Direct experience with attitude object produce
behavior more reliably.
 Cognitive based attitudes influence behaviors
better than affective- based attitudes.
 Using multiple measurement of attitude or
several behavioral assessments across time and
environment improves prediction.
Attitude Scaling
 The process of assessing an attitudinal
disposition using a number that represent a
person’s score on an attitudinal a continuum
ranging from an extremely favorable
disposition to an extremely unfavorable one.
Scaling
 Procedure for the assignment of numbers or
other symbol to a property of objects in
order to impart some of characteristics of
numbers to the properties in question.
 Attitude Scale
I plan to purchase a home of civil homes.
Yes
No

If,

I plan to purchase a home of civil homes.

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
Ranked the mobile brand according to your preference. Place 1
For most preferred.
Sony
Samsung
HTC

If,
Which brand do you prefer most for mobile?
Sony
Samsung
HTC
Selecting a measurement Scale
Factors affecting reliability, validity and
practicality:
•Research objectives
•Response types
•Data properties
•Number of dimensions
•Balanced or unbalanced
•Forced or unforced choices
•Number of scale points
•Rate errors
Research objectives
Types of scaling objectives:
 To measure characteristics of the
participants who participate in the study
 To use participants as judges of the
objects or indicants presented to them
Responses types
Response types-
Measurement scales to describe the
data
Types of measurement scale
•Rating
•Ranking
•Categorization
•Sorting
Data Properties
Data properties are the attributes of data

•Nominal scale classifies data into categories but no

order, distance or unique origin
•Ordinal scale shows relationship of more and less but
no distance or unique origin
•Interval scales have both order and distance but no
unique origin
•Ratio scales possess all four properties’ features
Number of dimensions
Types of dimensions
 One- dimensional- measure only one
attribute of the participant or object

 Multidimensional- object is described

using several dimensions rather than
single dimension
 Balanced or Unbalanced
Balanced rating scale- In balanced rating scale
there are equal number of categories above and
below the midpoint
Number of favorable and unfavorable responses
choices must be equal.

Unbalanced rating scale-It has unequal number of

favorable and unfavorable response choices
The scale does not allow participants who are
unfavorable to express the intesity of their attitude
 Forced or Unforced choices
 Forced choice scale- It requires that
participants select one of the offered
alternatives among the alternatives offered

 Unforced choice scale- Participants are

provided with an opportunity to express no
opinion when they are unable to make a
choice among the alternatives offered
Number of Scale points
Appropriate scales designed based on its
purpose
Characteristics of appropriate or useful scale:
Should match the stimulus presented
Extract information proportionate to the
complexity of the attitude, object, concept or
construct
Why different rating scales
 Reliability
 Validity
 For achieving greater measurement
sensitivity
 Affects accuracy
 Standard metric (cultural practices)
 Rater Errors
Errors in judgment that occur in a systematic
manner when an individual observes and
evaluates another
Types of Errors:
 Error to central tendency- Raters are
reluctant to give average ratings
 Error to leniency- the tendency to give
inflated ratings or deflated ratings
 Halo effect- tendency to make inappropriate
generalization while rating based on one
aspect or behavior
Rating Scales
 Set of categories designed to elicit
information about a quantitative or a
qualitative attribute

 Used to judge properties of an object

without reference to other similar objects
Types of Rating Scales
 Dichotomous Scales
 Category Scales
 Likert Scales
 Semantic Differential Scales
 Numerical Rating Scale
 Staple Scales
 Constant-Sum Scales
 Graphical Rating Scales
Dichotomous Scale
 Offers two mutually exclusive choices
 Used to elicit yes/no answer
 Data obtained: Nominal
Category Scale
 Uses a number of choices to elicit a single
response
 Data obtained: Nominal
Likert Scale
 Developed by Rensis Likert
 Indicate a degree of agreement and
disagreement towards a series of
statement on a 5-point scale
 Responses from a number of statements
can be combined to create an index
 Type of data: ordinal or interval
Likert Scale
 Example:
 Semantic Differential Scale
 Bipolar adjective pairs on a linear scale
 Respondents are asked to indicate their
attitudes on a semantic space
 Example: To measure attitude towards new
vehicle design
When to use semantic differential?
 Numerical Scales
 It have equal intervals that separate their numeric scale
points.
 This are often 5-points scale but may have 7 or 10 points.
 For e.g., this scale is most commonly used in the healthcare,
it offers the individual in pain to rate their pain score.

 Linearity, simplicity and production of ordinal or interval data

of this scales make it popular for managers and researchers
 Staple Scale
 The data obtains by using a staple scale can be analyzed in the same ways as
semantic differential data,

 It is used when it becomes difficult to find bipolar adjectives that match the
investigative question

 One of the types of attitude measurement scales

 The higher the positive score the better the adjective describes the object.

 The larger the positive number responded choose its more accurate he think the
number describes his choice.

 The less accurate the description. The larger the negative number is chosen.

 The simplicity of using this scales make it more advantageous compare to other.

 Mostly used in the process of conducting survey via telephone

For e.g., the respondents may be asked to rate their job using staple scales as follows:

+3 +3 +3
+2
+2 +2
+1
+1 +1
Challenging Suits my skill
Satisfactory
-3 -3 -3
-2 -2 -2
-1 -1 -1
Constant- Sum Scales

 Comparative scaling technique in which respondents are

required to allocate a constant sum of its as points, dollars,
chits among a set of stimulus objects with respect to
some criterion,

 Average is taken form all respondents

 Ordinal in nature

 Advantage of using this scales is compatibility with

percentage, alternative perceived as equal can be scored

 Cant be effectively used with children or the uneducated.

 For e.g. Allocate a total of 100 points among the following
soft-drinks depending on how favorable you feel toward
each; the more highly you think of each soft-drink, the
more points you should allocate to it.

Coca-Cola …………………… points

7-Up …………………… points
Dr. pepper …………………… points
Tab …………………… points
Pepsi Cola …………………… points
100 Points
Graphic Rating Scales

 Under this scales various points are usually put along the line to
form a continuum and the rater indicates his rating by simply
making a marks data the appropriate point on a line that runs
form one extreme to the other.

 The scores is the measure of length form either point and

treated as interval data.

 It is often used with children, whose more limited vocabulary

prevents the use of scales anchored with words.

 Graphic rating scales also uses pictures, icons, or other visuals to

communicate

 One disadvantage is difficulty in coding and analysis

,
Ranking scales
 Respondents directly compare two or more objects and makes choices
among them.

 Respondent are ask to select one as the “best” or the “most preferred.”

 Easier when comparison is to be made between two attributes. But

when there is more than two attributes resulted ambiguous findings.

 For e.g. In a response if 40% choose A design, 30% B and 30% C, we

may conclude that A design is most preferable one but 60% of
participant choose some other model than A.

 To avoid this ambiguity following techniques can be applied:

I. Paired- comparison Scale
II. Forced Ranking Scale
III. Comparative Scale
Paired Comparison Scale
 Respondents can express their attitude unambiguously by choosing between two
objects.

 The number of judgments required in a paired comparison is (n)(n-1)/2 , where “n” is

the number of stimuli or objects.

 For e.g., For each of the paired business school please place a check beside the one
you would most prefer if you had to choose between two:
……KUSOM ……. APEX
……ACE ……..British college

……KUSOM …….ACE
……. APEX …….APEX

…….British college …….ACE

……..KUSOM …….British College
Forced Ranking Scale

 Various lists of attributes are ranked in relative to each other.

 Easier, faster than paired comparison and more motivating to

respondent.

 For e.g., “Rank the radar detection features in your order of

preference. Place the number 1 next to the most preferred, 2 by
the second choice and so forth.”
………..user programming
……..Cordless capability
………..Small Size
………..minimal false alarms
………..Long-range warning

 A drawback to forced ranking is the number of stimuli that can be

handled by this method. Only five objects can be ranked easily
Comparative Scale

 This scale is applicable when respondents is to make comparison with the

attributes which they are familiar

 Deals with direct comparison of objects or individuals

 Data collected is interpreted in relative terms and have only ordinal or rank
characteristics

 But some researcher treat its as interval data since the scoring reflects an
interval between the standard and what is being compared.

 For e.g., “compared to KUSOM previous MBA program and new Restructure
MBA program
Superior About the same Inferior
…… …….. ……. ……. …….
1 2 3 4 5