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
Examples

Esha likes shopping at V-Mart. She believes the store is

clean, conveniently located, and has low prices. She
intends to shop there every Thursday.”
Richa is convinced that E & Y has great talent, terrific
products, and superior opportunities for growth. She
loves working at E & Y. She expects to stay with the firm
and work hard to achieve rapid promotions for greater
visibility and influence.
Techniques for Measuring Attitudes
• Ranking
 Requiring the respondent to rank order objects in
overall performance on the basis of a characteristic or
stimulus.
• Rating
 Asking the respondent to estimate the magnitude of a
characteristic, or quality, that an object possesses by
indicating on a scale where he or she would rate an
object.
Techniques for Measuring Attitudes
• Sorting
 Presenting the respondent with several concepts
typed on cards and requiring the respondent to
arrange the cards into a number of piles or otherwise
classify the concepts.
• Choice
 Asking a respondent to choose one alternative from
among several alternatives; it is assumed that the
chosen alternative is preferred over the others.
Attitude Rating Scales
• Simple Attitude Scale
 Requires that an individual agree/disagree with a
statement or respond to a single question.
 This type of self-rating scale classifies respondents into one
of two categories (e.g., yes or no).
• Example:
THE PRESIDENT SHOULD RUN FOR RE-ELECTION
_______ AGREE ______ DISAGREE
Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d)
• Category Scale
 A more sensitive measure than a simple scale in that
it can have more than two response categories.
 Question construction is an extremely important factor in
increasing the usefulness of these scales.
• Example:
How important were the following in your decision to visit Nepal? (check
one for each item)
VERY SOMEWHAT NOT TOO
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
CLIMATE ___________ ___________ ___________
COST OF TRAVEL ___________ ___________ ___________
FAMILY ORIENTED ___________ ___________ ___________
EDUCATIONAL/HISTORICAL ASPECTS ___________ ___________ ___________
FAMILIARITY WITH AREA ___________ ___________ ___________
Selected Category Scales
Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d)
• Likert Scale
 A popular means for measuring attitudes.
 Respondents indicate their own attitudes by checking
how strongly they agree or disagree with statements.
 Typical response alternatives: “strongly agree,” “agree,”
“uncertain,” “disagree,” and “strongly disagree.”
• Example:
It is more fun to play a tough, competitive tennis match than to play
an easy one.
___Strongly Agree ___Agree ___Not Sure ___Disagree ___Strongly Disagree
Likert Scale Items for Measuring Attitudes toward Patients’ Interaction with a
Physician’s Service Staff
Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d)
• Semantic Differential
 A series of seven-point rating scales with bipolar
adjectives, such as “good” and “bad,” anchoring the
ends (or poles) of the scale.
 A weight is assigned to each position on the scale.
Traditionally, scores are 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, or +3, +2, +1, 0, -1,
-2, -3.
• Example:
Exciting ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Calm
Interesting ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Dull
Simple ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Complex
Passive ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Active
Semantic Differential Scales for Measuring Attitudes Toward Supermarkets
Other Scale Types (cont’d)
• Image Profile
 A graphic representation of semantic differential data
for competing brands, products, or stores to highlight
comparisons.
 Because the data are assumed to be interval, either
the arithmetic mean or the median will be used to
compare the profile of one product, brand, or store
with that of a competing product, brand, or store.
Image Profiles of Commuter Airlines versus Major Airlines
Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d)
• Numerical Scales
 Scales that have numbers as response options,
rather than “semantic space” or verbal descriptions, to
identify categories (response positions).
 In practice, researchers have found that a scale with
numerical labels for intermediate points on the scale is as
effective a measure as the true semantic differential.
• Example:
 Now that you’ve had your automobile for about one year,
please tell us how satisfied you are with your Ford Taurus.
Extremely Dissatisfied 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Extremely Satisfied
Other Scale Types (cont’d)
• Stapel Scale
 Uses a single adjective as a substitute for the
semantic differential when it is difficult to create pairs
of bipolar adjectives.
 Tends to be easier to conduct and administer than a
semantic differential scale.
A Stapel Scale for Measuring a Store’s Image
Other Scale Types (cont’d)
• Constant-Sum Scale
 Respondents are asked to divide a constant sum to
indicate the relative importance of attributes.
 Respondents often sort cards, but the task may also be a
rating task (e.g., indicating brand preference).
• Example:
 Divide 100 points among each of the following brands
according to your preference for the brand:
 Brand A _________
 Brand B _________
 Brand C _________
Other Scale Types (cont’d)
• Graphic Rating Scale
 A measure of attitude that allows respondents to rate
an object by choosing any point along a graphic
continuum.
 Advantage:
 Allows the researcher to choose any interval desired for
scoring purposes.
 Disadvantage:
 There are no standard answers.
Graphic Rating Scale
Graphic Rating Scale with Picture Response Categories Stressing
Visual Communication
Summary of Advantages and Disadvantages of Rating Scales
Measuring Behavioral Intention
• Behavioral Component
 The behavioral expectations (expected future actions)
of an individual toward an attitudinal object.
• Example:
 How likely is it that you will purchase a Honda Fit?
 I definitely will buy
 I probably will buy
 I might buy
 I probably will not buy
 I definitely will not buy
Measuring Behavioral Intention
• Behavioral Differential
 A rating scale instrument similar to a semantic
differential, developed to measure the behavioral
intentions of subjects toward future actions.
 A description of the object to be judged is placed on the top
of a sheet, and the subjects indicate their behavioral
intentions toward this object on a series of scales.
• Example:
A 25 year-old woman sales representative
Would ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : Would Not
ask this person for advice.
Ranking
• An ordinal scale may be developed by asking
respondents to rank order (from most preferred
to least preferred) a set of objects or attributes.
 Paired comparisons
 Sorting
Paired Comparison
• A measurement technique that involves
presenting the respondent with two objects and
asking the respondent to pick the preferred
object; more than two objects may be presented,
but comparisons are made in pairs.
• Number of comparisons = [(n)(n-1)/2]
• Example:
I would like to know your overall opinion of two brands of adhesive bandages. They
are MedBand and Super-Aid. Overall, which of these two brands—MedBand or
Super-Aid—do you think is the better one? Or are both the same?
MedBand is better _____
Super-Aid is better _____
They are the same _____
Sorting
• Require that respondents indicate their attitudes
or beliefs by arranging items on the basis of
perceived similarity or some other attribute.

• Example:
Here is a sheet that lists several airlines. Next to the name of each airline is a pocket. Here are
ten cards. I would like you to put these cards in the pockets next to the airlines you would prefer to
fly on your next trip. Assume that all of the airlines fly to wherever you would choose to travel. You
can put as many cards as you want next to an airline, or you can put no cards next to an airline.
Cards
American Airlines _____
Delta Airlines _____
United Airlines _____
Southwest Airlines _____
Northwest Airlines _____
Selecting a Measurement Scale
• Some Practical Questions:
 Is a ranking, sorting, rating, or choice technique best?
 Should a monadic or a comparative scale be used?
 What type of category labels, if any, will be used for the rating
scale?
 How many scale categories or response positions are needed to
accurately measure an attitude?
 Should a balanced or unbalanced rating scale be chosen?
 Should a scale that forces a choice among predetermined
options be used?
 Should a single measure or an index measure be used?
 How to minimize rater errors?
Selecting a Measurement Scale (cont’d)
• Monadic Rating Scale
 Asks about a single concept in isolation.
 The respondent is not given a specific frame of reference.
• Example:

Now that you’ve had your automobile for about 1 year, please
tell us how satisfied you are with its engine power and pickup.
Selecting a Measurement Scale (cont’d)
• Comparative Rating Scale
 Asks respondents to rate a concept in comparison with
a benchmark explicitly used as a frame of reference.
• Example:

Please indicate how the amount of authority in your present

position compares with the amount of authority that would be
ideal for this position.
TOO MUCH  ABOUT RIGHT  TOO LITTLE 
Selecting a Measurement Scale (cont’d)
• What Type of Category Labels, If Any?
 Verbal labels for response categories help
respondents better understand the response
positions.
 The maturity and educational levels of the
respondents will influence the labeling decision.
• How Many Scale Categories or Response
Positions?
 Five to eight points are optimal for sensitivity.
 The researcher must determine the number of
positions that is best for the specific project.
Selecting a Measurement Scale (cont’d)
• 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
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
Selecting a Measurement Scale (cont’d)
• Forced-choice Rating Scale
 A fixed-alternative rating scale that requires
respondents to choose one of the fixed alternatives.
• Non-forced Choice Scale
 A fixed-alternative rating scale that provides a “no
opinion” category or that allows respondents to
indicate that they cannot say which alternative is their
choice.
Rater Errors

• Adjust strength of
descriptive adjectives

• Space intermediate
Error of descriptive phrases
central tendency farther apart

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

• Use more scale points

12-35
Rater Errors

Reverse order of
Primacy Effect alternatives periodically
Recency Effect or randomly

12-36
Rater Errors

• Rate one trait

at a time
• Reveal one trait
Halo Effect per page
• Reverse anchors
periodically

12-37