Levels of Measurement

Nature of Measurement
→In the process of measurement, numbers are assigned
according to some rules
→In the process of measurement, investigator assign
numbers, not of his own choice but according to certain
fixed, explicit rules
→Rules are the procedures to transform qualities of
attributes (qualities) into numbers
→Measurement is always concerned with certain atributes or
features of the object
→In the process of measurement, numerals are used to
represent quantities of attribute
→Measurement involves the process of quantification
→Measurement is different from evaluation
→Measurement is used in all spheres of life, include in
various subjects
 Levels of Measurement or (Measurement Scales)
Before we understand about measurement we need to
understand different postulates of measurement:
A postulate is defined as a “sort of assumption which
stipulates the relationship between groups, objects or events
being measured”
According Guilford (1954) there are nine basic postulates of
measurement:
1. Postulates relating to equalities or identities
2.Postulates relating to rank order
3. Postulates relating to additivity
1. Postulates relating to equalities or identities
1.1. Either a=b or a≠b
1.2. if a=b then b=a
1.3. if a=b, b=c then a=c
2.Postulates relating to rank order
2.1. if a>b then b> a or a<b then b < a
This means relation between a and b is asymmetrical
We cannot reverse the relationship
2.2. if a>b, b>c then a>c this is a transivity
definite ranking
2.3. if a = p and b>0 then a+b>p.This postulates indicates the
summation process when Zero is added, it produces no
variability in result
3. Postulates relating to additivity
3.1. a+b = b+a This process denotes that in the process of
addition
3.2. if a = p and b = q then a+b = p+q this process indicates
addition identical numbers
3.3. (a+b)+c = a+(b+c) Indicates the process of addition the
order of combinations objects or numbers makes no
difference
 Scale of Measurement
Nominal Scale
→Nominal scale is the lowest form of measurement
→Nominal scale use to name,identify or classify the persons,
objects, groups etc.
→classifications would be an example of nominal scale of
measurement
→In nominal scale members of any two groups are never
equivalent but all members of any one group are equivalent
Examples: Hindu,Christian, Muslim,Sikhs
Girls or Boys
Rural or Urban
→Statistical operations are counting or frequency, percentage,
proportion, mode, addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division and coefficient of contigency
→The drawback of nominal scale is most elementary and
simple.
 Ordinal Scale of Measurement
→This is the second level of measurement
→There is a property of Magnitude but not of equal intervals
or no absolute Zero
→In ordinal scale numbers numbers denote the rank order of
the objects or the individuals
→Here numbers are arranged in Lowest to Highest or
Highest to Lowest
The statistical operations include:
→Median,Percentiles,Rank Correlation also those which are
permissible for nominal measurement
 Interval scale of Measurement
→This is the third level of Measurement
→It include the characterstics of the nominal and ordinal
scales of mesurement
→It include the equal distances in the proportion of objects
being measureds
→It is also known as equal-interval measurement
Example: (20-16) + (8-4) = 4+4 = 8
→Zero point does not tell the real absence of the property
being measured
The statistical operations include:
Arithmetic mean,standard deviation,pearson r,t-test,f-test
widely used.
 Ratio scale of measurement
→It is the highest level of measurement
→It has all the properties of measurement of
nominal,ordinal,interval
→It has absolute Zero and true Zero point
Examples:
→Weight,Width, Height, Loudness, length and so on.
 Properties of Scale of Measurement
Magnitude:
Is defined as the property of “moreness”
Equal intervals:
Equal interval between two extremes
Absolute Zero:
An absolute zero is said to exist when nothing of the
property being measured exists
 Functions of Measurement
→In selection
→In Classification
→In comparsion: Retarded, Gifted, Poor or Rich
→In Guidance and Counseling
→In Research
 Problems of Measurement
1. Indirectness of Measurement

ceratin variables can't be measured directly

Example: IQ cant be measured directly by seeing,touching

2. Incomplete of Measurement
Example: Achievment and Aptitude

3. Relativity of Measurement
Example: English Language and Comprehension
4. Errors in Measurement
4.1. Respondent Error
4.2. Measurer Error
4.3. Situation Error Testing in unfavorable situation
4.4. Test Instrument