Chapter 12Chapter 12

MeasurementMeasurement

ScalesScales

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

12-2

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Understand…

• The nature of attitudes and their relationship to behavior.

• The critical decisions involved in selecting an appropriate measurement scale.

• The characteristics and use of rating, ranking, sorting, and other preference scales.

12-3

Measurements are RelativeMeasurements are Relative

“Any measurement must take into account the position of the observer. There is no such thing as measurement absolute, there is only measurement relative.”

Jeanette Wintersonjournalist and author

12-4

PulsePoint: PulsePoint: Research RevelationResearch Revelation

34 The percent of workers who are considered truly loyal.

12-5

The Scaling ProcessThe Scaling Process

12-6

Nature of AttitudesNature of Attitudes

CognitiveI think oatmeal is healthier

than corn flakes for breakfast.

Affective

Behavioral

I hate corn flakes.

I intend to eat more oatmealfor breakfast.

12-7

Improving PredictabilityImproving Predictability

Reference groups

Reference groups

Multiple measuresMultiple

measures

FactorsFactors

StrongStrong

Specific

Basis

DirectDirect

12-8

Measurement ScalesMeasurement Scales

“All survey questions must be actionable if you want results.”

Frank Schmidt, senior scientistThe Gallup Organization

12-9

Selecting a Selecting a Measurement ScaleMeasurement Scale

Research objectives Response types

Data propertiesNumber of dimensions

Forced or unforcedchoices

Balanced or unbalanced

Rater errorsNumber of scale points

12-10

Response TypesResponse Types

Rating scaleRating scale

Ranking scaleRanking scale

CategorizationCategorization

SortingSorting

12-11

Number of DimensionsNumber of Dimensions

Unidimensional

Multi-dimensional

12-12

Balanced or UnbalancedBalanced or Unbalanced

Very bad

Bad

Neither good nor bad

Good

Very good

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Excellent

How good an actress is Angelina Jolie?

12-13

Forced or Unforced ChoicesForced or Unforced Choices

Very bad

Bad

Neither good nor bad

Good

Very good

Very bad

Bad

Neither good nor bad

Good

Very good

No opinion

Don’t know

How good an actress is Angelina Jolie?

12-14

Number of Scale PointsNumber of Scale Points

Very bad

Bad

Neither good nor bad

Good

Very good

Very bad

Somewhat bad

A little bad

Neither good nor bad

A little good

Somewhat good

Very good

How good an actress is Angelina Jolie?

12-15

Rater ErrorsRater Errors

Error of central tendency

Error of leniency

•Adjust strength of descriptive adjectives

•Space intermediate descriptive phrases farther apart

•Provide smaller differences in meaning between terms near the ends of the scale

•Use more scale points

12-16

Rater ErrorsRater Errors

Primacy EffectRecency Effect

Reverse order of alternatives periodically or randomly

12-17

Rater ErrorsRater Errors

Halo Effect

• Rate one trait at a time

• Reveal one trait per page

• Reverse anchors periodically

12-18

Simple Category ScaleSimple Category Scale

I plan to purchase a MindWriter laptop in the 12 months.

Yes No

12-19

Multiple-Choice, Multiple-Choice, Single-Response ScaleSingle-Response Scale

What newspaper do you read most often for financial news? East City Gazette West City Tribune Regional newspaper National newspaper Other (specify:_____________)

12-20

Multiple-Choice, Multiple-Choice, Multiple-Response ScaleMultiple-Response Scale

What sources did you use when designing your new home? Please check all that apply.

Online planning services Magazines Independent contractor/builder Designer Architect Other (specify:_____________)

12-21

Likert ScaleLikert Scale

The Internet is superior to traditional libraries forcomprehensive searches.

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agree

12-22

Semantic DifferentialSemantic Differential

12-23

Adapting SD ScalesAdapting SD Scales

Convenience of Reaching the Store from Your LocationNearby ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Distant

Short time required to reach store ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Long time required to reach store

Difficult drive ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Easy Drive

Difficult to find parking place ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Easy to find parking place

Convenient to other stores I shop ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Inconvenient to other stores I shop

Products offeredWide selection of different

kinds of products ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___:Limited selection of different

kinds of products

Fully stocked ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Understocked

Undependable products ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Dependable products

High quality ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Low quality

Numerous brands ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Few brands

Unknown brands ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: ___: Well-known brands

12-24

SD Scale for Analyzing Actor SD Scale for Analyzing Actor CandidatesCandidates

12-25

Graphic of SD AnalysisGraphic of SD Analysis

12-26

Numerical ScaleNumerical Scale

12-27

Multiple Rating List ScalesMultiple Rating List Scales

“Please indicate how important or unimportant each service characteristic is:”

IMPORTANT UNIMPORTANTFast, reliable repair 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Service at my location 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Maintenance by manufacturer 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Knowledgeable technicians 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Notification of upgrades 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Service contract after warranty 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

12-28

Stapel ScalesStapel Scales

12-29

Constant-Sum ScalesConstant-Sum Scales

12-30

Graphic Rating ScalesGraphic Rating Scales

12-31

Ranking ScalesRanking Scales

Paired-comparison scale

Forced ranking scale

Comparative scale

12-32

Paired-Comparison ScalePaired-Comparison Scale

12-33

Forced Ranking ScaleForced Ranking Scale

12-34

Comparative ScaleComparative Scale

12-35

SortingSorting

12-36

MindWriter ScalingMindWriter Scaling

Likert ScaleThe problem that prompted service/repair was resolved

StronglyDisagree Disagree

Neither AgreeNor Disagree Agree

StronglyAgree

1 2 3 4 5

Numerical Scale (MindWriter’s Favorite)To what extent are you satisfied that the problem that prompted service/repair was resolved?

VeryDissatisfied

VerySatisfied

1 2 3 4 5

Hybrid Expectation ScaleResolution of the problem that prompted service/repair.

Met FewExpectations

Met SomeExpectations

Met Most Expectations

Met AllExpectations

ExceededExpectations

1 2 3 4 5

12-37

Ideal Scalogram PatternIdeal Scalogram Pattern

Item

Participant Score

2 4 1 3

X X X X 4__ X X X 3__ __ X X 2__ __ __ X 1__ __ __ __ 0

* X = agree; __ = disagree.

12-38

Key TermsKey Terms

• Attitude• Balanced rating scale• Categorization• Comparative scale• Constant-sum scale• Cumulative scale• Error of central

tendency• Error of leniency

• Forced-choice rating scale

• Forced ranking scale• Graphic rating scale• Halo effect• Item analysis• Likert scale• Multidimensional scale

12-39

Key TermsKey Terms

• Multiple-choice, multiple-response scale

• Multiple-choice,

single-response scale• Multiple rating list • Numerical scale• Paired-comparison

scale

• Q-sort• Ranking scale• Rating scale• Scaling• Scalogram analysis• Semantic differential• Simple category

scale

12-40

Key TermsKey Terms

• Sorting• Stapel scale• Summated rating

scale

• Unbalanced rating scale• Unforced-choice rating

scale • Unidimensional scale