Chapter - 7

ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT
Meaning of Attitude Measurement
An attitude is a mental state involving beliefs,
feelings, values and dispositions to act in a
certain way. It can further be understood as a
learned predisposition to respond consistently
in a positive or negative manner towards
different aspects of the world.
 Components of Attitude
Attitude has three components-
• Cognitive Component
• Affective Component
• Behavioral Component
Example:
If a person says that he loves Britannia biscuits
because they are tasty and always eats them,
the statement comprises all these three
components of an attitude.
 Relationship between Attitudes and
Behavior
The following critical aspects discovered by
researchers are governing the attitudes and
behavior of consumers.
• A product or service usage will be maximum if the
person develops a positive attitude towards it.
The converse is also true
• Attitudes of consumers towards products that
they have never tried will be neutral
• When attitudes are developed based on actual
trial and experience of a product, attitudes predict
behavior effectively
 Changing Attitudes
Marketers attempt to change existing attitudes to
attract people and increase market value. For
this, they resort to three major tactics:

• Altering existing beliefs about a product

• Changing attitudes by changing the importance of
beliefs
• Adding new beliefs
Association Between Measurement of
Beliefs and Situation

It is generally found that there is a

lesser relationship between
researchers measurements and the
actual prevailing situation. In other
words, the match between what the
researcher finds and what actually
happens is low owing to a number of
reasons.
 Measurement Scales

DEFINITION OF ATTITUDE SCALE:

An attitude scale is a set of items (questions or
statements) that probe a single aspect of
human behavior, attitudes, or feelings.

SCALING:
It is the process of measuring quantitative
aspects of subjective or abstract concepts. It is
a method to assign numbers or symbols to
some attributes of an object.
 TYPES OF ATTITUDE SCALES

Attitude Scales

Single Item Scales Multi Item Scales

Itemized Rank Compara Constant Paired Pictorial Continu

Category Order -tive Sum Compari- Scales -ous
Scales Scales Scales Scales son Scales
Scales

Likert Semantic Stapel

Scales Differential Scales
Scales
Single Item Scales
• Single item scales are those with only one item
to measure. The various types of single item
scales are as follows:
Itemized category scales
• Itemized category scales are those in
which respondents have to select an
answer from a limited number of ordered
categories. Respondents are given the
scale that contains a number or a brief
description about a particular category.
These categories are ordered in terms of
position of the scale and respondents have
to select one category that they feel best
describes the object.
Rank-order scales:
• Rank order scales are comparative
scales, where the respondent is
asked to rate an item in comparison
with another item or a group of
items against each other based on a
common criterion.
• Comparative scales:
• In comparative scales, the researcher provides
a point of comparison for respondents to
provide answers. Thus, the respondents a
uniform point of comparison for selecting
answers.
Q-Sort scales:
• In Q-sort scales respondents are asked to sort
out various characteristics or objects that are
being compared into various characteristics or
objects that are being compared into various
groups so that the distribution of the various
objects or characteristics in each group follows
a normal pattern.
• Paired comparison scales:
• In paired comparison scales, respondents are asked to
select one of two items in a pair based on pre-set
criteria. As each item is compared with all other
items, the number of times an item is selected from a
pair gives its rank. The higher the number the better
is the rank. A major advantage of this method is that
the problem of order bias is eliminated as no set
pattern is followed while providing respondents the
pairs.
Constant sum scale:
• In this, the respondents are asked to divide a
given number of points, usually 100, among
two or more attributes based on the importance
they attach to each attribute. Here respondents
have to rate an item in relation with all other
items. Ranking for each item is based on the
points assigned by the respondent to the items.
Pictorial scales:
• Here, the different types of scales are
represented pictorially. The respondents are
asked to rate a concept or statement based on
their intensity of agreement or disagreement,
on a pictorial scale. These scales are generally
used for respondents who cannot analyze
complex scales, such as young children or
illiterates.
Continuous scales:
• Continuous scales are those where respondents
are asked to rate items being studied by
marking at an appropriate place on a line
drawn from one extreme of the scale to the
other
MULTI-ITEM SCALES
• These scales are used when it is difficult to
measure people’s attitudes based only on one
attribute. The various types of multi-item
scales are as follows:
Semantic differential scales:
• These scales are used to describe a set of
beliefs that underline a person’s attitude
towards an organization, product or brand. The
respondents are asked to rate an attitude object
on a set of itemized, seven-point rating scale,
bounded by bipolar phrases or adjectives.
Stapel scales:
• A stapel scale is an attitude measure that places a
single adjective or an attribute or an attribute
describing an object in the centre of an even
number of numerical values. In general, stapel
scales are constructed on a scale of 10 ranging
from -5 to +5, without a neutral point (zero). The
respondent is asked to rate attributes on this scale.
•  
Likert scales:
• Likert scales consist of a series of statements
where the respondent provides answers in the form
of degree of agreement or disagreement. This
expresses attitude towards the concept under study.
The respondent selects a numerical score for each
statement to indicate the degree of agreement or
otherwise. Each such score is finally added up to
measure the respondent’s attitude.
•  
Thurstone scales:
• In Thurstone scales, researchers select a group
of 80 to 100 items indicating the different
degrees of favorable attitude towards a concept
under study. Once items are selected, they are
given to a group of judges, who are asked to
categorize them according to how much they
favor or disfavor them.
• The judges are asked to treat intervals between
categories as equal and analyze each item
without expressing their own attitudes. Once
the results are obtained, all those items that
have a consensus from the judges are selected
and items where there was no consensus are
eliminated.
 
• These results are then distributed uniformly on
a scale of favorability. This scale is then
administered to a set of respondents for
measuring their attitude towards a particular
concept.
 Profile Analysis

Profile analysis is a process where

two or more objects are rated by
respondents on a scale. Profile
analysis can be considered as an
application of the semantic
differential scale.
CONSIDERATIONS IN SELECTING A
SCALE

Researchers tend to use those scales

that are easy to administer and develop.
For instance, a rank order scale can be
quickly developed, while a semantic
differential scale takes longer time and is
cumbersome. It is also important to
consider the client’s requirements before
selecting a scale. The type of data that is
needed also plays an important role in
selection.
Factors which are considered while selecting
a scale are given below:
• Balanced Versus Unbalanced Scales:
Scales a balanced scale is
one, which has the same number of positive and negative
categories, while an unbalances scale is weighted towards one
or the other end.

• Number of Categories: it should be decided based on the

research concept. It is always better to develop a scale that
contains between five and nine categories.

• Odd or Even Number of Scale Categories: if a scale has an

even number of categories, respondents who are actually
neutral cannot express this feeling. Here an odd scale helps
respondents. But deciding which scale to choose depends on the
nature of research to be conducted.

• Forced Versus Unforced Choice: when the two categories

“Don’t know” and “Neutral” are included in the scale, it becomes
an unforced choice, as the respondents do not have to select a
positive or negative opinion when they don’t have any opinion.
Otherwise it is a forced choice.
Thank you for your attention

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