• involves the use of certain devices or rules for

assigning numbers to objects or events .

• by systematically analyzing, categorizing, and
quantifying observable phenomena we place
them in the scientific arena.
• primary tools for psychometric
• Helps in statistics
• S. S. Stevens classified different levels of
measurement on the basis of the relationships
between numbers and the objects or events to
which the numbers are applied.
• specified various ways to use numerical data in
statistics
• types of statistical operations
depending on how numbers
are used.
• simplest level of his classification
• numbers are used solely as labels to identify an
individual, objects or group.
• Organised but not meaningfully
• Numbers just convenient labels for the particular
class of events and as such have no quantitative
value.
• all the members of a set of given number =
category assigned to that number
• numbers used can be added, subtracted,
multiplied, or divided, but results are not
meaningful.
• property - identity; all members of a category
must be assigned the same number and that no
two categories may share the same number.
• arithmetic operation - counting frequencies its
manipulate
• least powerful level of measurement.
 no order or distance relationship and has no
arithmetic origin.
 differences between things by assigning them to
categories.
 counted data.
 The scale wastes any information that we may
have about varying degrees of attitude, skills,
understandings, etc.

• very useful ,widely used in surveys where large

population is involved
Psychological testing
• central tendency - mode.
• measure of dispersion - none.
• measures of correlation - the contingency
coefficient.
• statistical significance - Chi-square test
• Numbers provide more information than
nominal
• property – identity and rank order; elements
in a set can be lined up in a series—from
lowest to highest or vice versa—
• No. arranged on the basis of a single variable,
such as birth order
• rank order numbers convey a precise meaning
in terms of position
• Rank-ordered test scores are reported as
percentile rank (PR) scores or percentiles .
• PR scores are simply indicates the percentage
of individuals in a group who fall at or below a
given level of performance.
• Numerical data can be manipulated
statistically
• Use of Spearman’s rho (rs) correlation
coefficient for establishing the relationship
between variables expressed in terms of rank
numbers
 no absolute values; real differences between
adjacent ranks may not be equal.
 ranking will not reflect the amount of
difference between them, which could be
great or small.
Psychological testing
• central tendency - median
• measure of dispersion - percentile.
• measures of correlation - rank order method
• statistical significance – non parametric
methods
• equal-unit scales and includes characteristics of
both nominal and ordinal .
• the difference between any two consecutive
numbers reflects an equal empirical or
demonstrable difference between the objects or
events that the numbers represent.
• the distances between numbers are meaningful.
• Most arithmetical operations yield meaningful
result

 coefficient of variation cannot be applied to

interval measurement as it is a sort of ratio of
standard deviation to arithmetic mean.
 not possible to absolute zero or the unique origin.
 lack of a true zero
 does not have the capacity to measure the
complete absence of a trait or characteristic
Psychological testing
• central tendency - mean
• measure of dispersion – standard deviation
• measures of correlation - the product
moment correlation technique
• statistical significance – t -test
• ratio scale has highest level of measurement
• all the properties of nominal, ordinal ,interval
• property of additivity ; numbers can be
added—as well as subtracted, multiplied, and
divided
• result expressed as a ratio - meaningful
results.
• all statistical techniques are usable
• all manipulations can also be carried out
• absolute zero point Can be measured
• used in terms of frequency counts or of time
intervals, both of which allow for the
possibility of true zeros.
Psychological testing
• central tendency – geometric and harmony
means
• measure of dispersion - none.
• measures of correlation - the contingency
coefficient.
• statistical significance - all