ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT

AND SCALING
 MEASUREMENT AND SCALING

 Measurement: The term ‘measurement’ means assigning

numbers or some other symbols to the characteristics of
certain objects. When numbers are used, the researcher must
have a rule for assigning a number to an obser vation in a way
that provides an accurate description .

 Scaling: Scaling is an extension of measurement. Scaling

involves creating a continuum on which measurements on
objects are located.
 WHAT DO I MEASURE?

 Measurement
 The process of describing some property of a phenomenon, usually by
assigning numbers in a reliable and valid way.
 Concept
 A generalized idea about a class of objects, attributes, occurrences,
or processes
 Scales
 A device providing a range of values that correspond to
different characteristics or amounts of a characteristic
exhibited in observing a concept

13–3
 T YPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

Nominal scale : This is the lowest le ve l of measure ment . Here,

numbers are assigned for the purpose of ide ntification of the
objects. Any obje ct which is assigned a higher number is in no way
superior to the one which is assigned a lowe r number.
 Assigns a value to an object for identification or classification purposes.
 Most elementary level of measurement

Example:
• Do you have your own house?
(a) Yes (b) No

The assigned numbers cannot be added, subtracted, multiplied

or divided. T he only arithmetic operations that can be carrie d out
are the count of each category. T herefore , a frequency
distribution table can be pre pared for the nominal scale
variables and mode of the distribution can be worked out.
 NOMINAL SCALE - BIFURCATIONS

1 . Nominal scale is also called a categor y scale. It uses

multiple items to elicit a single response.

In which department do you work with?

Marketing
Finance
Production
HR
 T YPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

2. Ordinal scale

 This is the next higher level of measurement than the nominal

scale measurement
 One of the limitations of the nominal scale is that it can not
be said whether the assigned number to an object is higher or
lower than the one assigned to another option
 An ordinal scale measurement tells whether an object has
more or less of characteristics than some other objects
 ORDINAL SCALE

E x ample:
 Rank the following attributes while choosing a restaurant for
dinner. The most important attribute may be ranked one, the
next important may be assigned a rank of 2 and so on.
 Ranking scales allowing things to be arranged based on how
much of some concept they possible.
 T YPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

3. I nter val s c a le:

 The inter val scale measurement is the next higher level of
measurement.
 It takes care of the limitation of the ordinal scale
measurement where the dif ference between the score on the
ordinal scale does not have any meaningful interpretation .
 In the inter val scale the difference of the score on the scale
has meaningful interpretation .
 It is assumed that the respondent is able to answer the
questions on a continuum scale.
 T YPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

4. Ratio scale
 This is the highest level of measurement and takes care of the
limitations of the inter val scale measurement, where the ratio
of the measurements on the scale does not have a
meaningful interpretation .

 A scale of measurement of data having a fixed zero value,

which permits the quantitative comparison of differences of
values

How many students are there in MBA branch?

 ATTITUDE
MEASUREMENT
 WHAT IS AN ATTITUDE?
 Attitude
• An enduring disposition to consistently respond in a given manner to
various aspects of the world.
 Components of attitudes:
• Affective Component
 The feelings or emotions toward an object
• Cognitive Component
 Knowledge and beliefs about an object
• Behavioral Component
 Predisposition to action
 Intentions
 Behavioral expectations

14–11
 ATTITUDE SCALES

 Single item scale : There is only one item to measure

 Multiple item scale : There are many items that play a role in
forming the underlying construct that the researcher is tr ying
to measure
 COMPARATIVE SCALE

Co m parative s c a les
 Involve the direct comparison of stimulus objects
 Comparative scale data must be interpreted in relative terms
 In comparative scales it is assumed that respondents make
use of a standard frame of reference before answering the
question
EXAMPLE
 PAIRED COMPARISON

 This is especially challenging if choices are quite dif ferent

from one another
 Paired Comparison Analysis helps to work out the relative
importance of a number of dif ferent options
PAIRED COMPARISON- EXAMPLE
 RANKING ORDER SCALE

 Despondence are asked to rank the preference

Soft Drinks Rank

Pepsi
Coke
Sprite
Limca
Mirinda
 CONSTANT SUM SCALE

 The respondents are here asked to distribute a given

number of points across various items

Soft Drinks Points

Pepsi
Coke
Sprite
Limca
Mirinda
 NON COMPARATIVE SCALE

 N o n c o mparative s c a les, each object is scaled independently

of the others in the stimulus set.
 GRAPHIC RATING SCALE

 This is a continuous scale in which the respondent is asked to

tick the preference on a graph

Alternative Presentation of Graphic Rating Scale –

Please indicate how much do you like fast food by pointing
to the face that best shows your attitude and taste. If you
do not prefer it at all, you wo uld point to face one. In case
you prefer it the most, you would point to face seven .
 ITEMIZED RATING SCALE

 In this scale the respondents are provided with a scale that

has a number of brief description associated with each of the
response categories

 Number of categories used

 Balanced versus unbalanced scale
 SELECTING A MEASUREMENT SCALE

 Balanced Rating Scale

• A fixed-alternative rating scale with an equal number of
positive and negative categories; a neutral point or point of
indifference is at the center of the scale.
 Example:

How satisfied are you with the bookstore in the Student Union?

Very Neither Satisfied Very

Satisfied Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied

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 SELECTING A MEASUREMENT SCALE
(CONT’D)

 Unbalanced Rating Scale

• A fixed-alternative rating scale that has more response
categories at one end than the other resulting in an
unequal number of positive and negative categories.
 Example:

How satisfied are you with the bookstore in the Student Union?

Neither Satisfied Very

Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied

14–23
 LIKERT SCALE

Is designed to examine how strongly subjects agree or disagree with statements

on a 5-point scale
 SEMANTIC SCALE

 The respondent is required to rate each attitude object on a

number of five or seven point rating scales

 This scale is widely used to compare the images of competing

brands, companies or ser vices.

 Here the respondent is required to rate each attitude or object

on a number of five-or seven -point rating scales.

 This scale is bounded at each end by bipolar adjectives or

phrases.
SEMANTIC SCALE
SEMANTIC SCALE
 STAPLE SCALE

 It is used to measure the direction and intensity of an attitude

THREE CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT:
ERROR POSSIBILITY

Reliability Validity

Good
Measurement

Sensitivity

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 MEASUREMENT ERROR

This occurs when the obser ved measurement on a construct or

concept deviates from its true values.

R e asons

 Mood, fatigue and health of the respondent

 Variations in the environment in which measurements are

taken

 A respondent may not understand the question being asked

and the inter viewer may have to rephrase the same. While
rephrasing the question the inter viewer’s bias may get into
the responses.
 CRITERIA FOR G OOD MEASUREMENT

R e l iability
Reliability is concerned with consistency, accuracy and
predictability of the scale.

M e thods t o m e asures R e l iability

 Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability and consistency
 Cronbach alpha computes the average of all possible split half
reliability for a multiple item scale.
Less than 0.60 is not reliable
 CRITERIA FOR G OOD MEASUREMENT

Va lidity

The validity of a scale refers to the question whether we are

measuring what we want to measure.

D i f ferent w a ys t o m e as ure Va lidity

 Content (face)validity - subjective judgment of experts
 Concurrent validity – new measurement technique compared
with old technique
 Predictive validity – ability of the measured phenomena at
one point of time to predict another phenomenon at a future
point of time
 SENSITIVIT Y

 Sensitivity refers to an instrument’s ability to accurately

measure the variability in a concept.

 Sensitivity of a scale is generally increased by adding more

response points