1. ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT AND SCALING
CHAPTER-7

2. Meaning of 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
observation in a way that provides an accurate
description.
Scaling: Scaling is an extension of
measurement. Scaling involves creating a
continuum (range) on which measurements on
objects are located.

3. ATTITUDE
The dictionary meaning of attitude is ‘settled
behavior, as indicating opinion’.
Thurstone defined attitude as “ the sum total of
man inclinations and feelings, prejudice or bias,
preconceived notions, ideas, fears, threats and
conviction about some topic.”
An attitude is the degree of positive or negative
effect associated with some psychological object.

4. CHARACTERISTICS OF SCALESCHARACTERISTICS OF SCALES
DESCRIPTION:FOR INSTANCE, “YES” OR “NO”,FOR INSTANCE, “YES” OR “NO”,
“AGREE” OR “DISAGREE” AND THE NUMBER OF“AGREE” OR “DISAGREE” AND THE NUMBER OF
YEARS OF A RESPONDENT’S AGEYEARS OF A RESPONDENT’S AGE
ORDER REFERS TO THE RELATIVE SIZES. Such asRELATIVE SIZES. Such as
“GREATER THAN”“GREATER THAN” “LESS THAN” AND “EQUAL TO” .“LESS THAN” AND “EQUAL TO” .
A SCALE HAS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF DISTANCE
WHEN ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEABSOLUTE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
DESCRIPTORSDESCRIPTORS ARE KNOWN AND MAY BE
EXPRESSED IN UNITS.EXPRESSED IN UNITS. A THREE CAR FAMILY OWNS AA THREE CAR FAMILY OWNS A
ONE MORE AUTOMOBILE THAN A TWO CAR FAMILY.ONE MORE AUTOMOBILE THAN A TWO CAR FAMILY.
A SCALE IS SAID TO HAVE A CHARACTERISTIC OF
ORIGINORIGIN IF THERE IS A UNIQUE BEGINNINGUNIQUE BEGINNING OR TRUETRUE
ZEROZERO POINT FOR THE SCALE.

5. NOMINAL SCALENOMINAL SCALE
NOMINAL SCALES ARE DEFINED AS THOSE THAT USE
ONLY LABEL; THAT IS, THEY POSSESS ONLY THE
CHARACTERISTIC OF DESCRIPTION.DESCRIPTION.
Example:Example: DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE THAT “DELTA IS
READY WHEN YOU ARE”?
AGREE DISAGREE
EXAMPLESEXAMPLES
 DESIGNATIONS AS TO RACE, RELIGION,
 TYPE OF DWELLING
 GENDER
 BRAND LAST PURCHASED
 ANSWERS THAT INVOLVE YES-NO, AGREE-DISAGREE
 OR ANY OTHER INSTANCE IN WHICH DESCRIPTORS CAN NOT BE
DIFFERENTIATED EXCEPT QUALITATIVELY

6. ORDINAL SCALE
AN ORDINAL SCALE IS OBTAINED BY RANKING OBJECTSRANKING OBJECTS OR
ARRANGING THEM IN ORDERIN ORDER WITH REGARD TO SOME COMMONCOMMON
VARIABLEVARIABLE
Question: PLEASE RANK EACH BRAND IN TERMS OF YOURPLEASE RANK EACH BRAND IN TERMS OF YOUR
PREFERENCE PLEASE PLACE “1” BY YOUR FIRST CHOICE, A “2”PREFERENCE PLEASE PLACE “1” BY YOUR FIRST CHOICE, A “2”
BY YOUR SECOND CHOICE, AND SO ONBY YOUR SECOND CHOICE, AND SO ON
I.I. SONYSONY
II.II. VIDEOCONVIDEOCON
III.III. SAMSUNGSAMSUNG
IV.IV. LGLG
V.V. BPLBPL
VI.VI. PHILLIPSPHILLIPS

7. INTERVAL SCALEINTERVAL SCALE
INTERVAL SCALES ARE THOSE IN WHICH THE DISTANCEDISTANCE BETWEEN
EACH DESCRIPTOR IS KNOWN.
IF YOU WERE ASKED TO EVALUATE A STORE’S SALES PEOPLE BYIF YOU WERE ASKED TO EVALUATE A STORE’S SALES PEOPLE BY
SELECTING A SINGLE DESIGNATION FROM THE LIST OFSELECTING A SINGLE DESIGNATION FROM THE LIST OF
 EXTREMELY FRIENDLY
 VERY FRIENDLY
 SOME WHAT FRIENDLY
 SOME WHAT UNFRIENDLY
 VERY UNFRIENDLY
 EXTREMELY UNFRIENDLY
THE RESEARCHER WOULD PROBABLY ASSUME THAT EACH
DESIGNATION WAS ONE UNIT AWAY FROM THE PRECEDING ONE
a

8. RATIO SCALERATIO SCALE
RATIO SCALES ARE THE ONES IN WHICH TRUE ZERO ORIGINTRUE ZERO ORIGIN EXISTS—
SUCH AS
-ACTUAL NUMBER OF PURCHASES IN A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD,
-RUPEES SPENT, MILES TRAVELED ETC.
examples
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR AGE
--- YEARS
HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK A TYPICAL PURCHASER OF A Rs. 5 LAKH TERMHOW MUCH DO YOU THINK A TYPICAL PURCHASER OF A Rs. 5 LAKH TERM
LIFE INSURANCE POLICY PAYS PER MONTH THAT POLICY?LIFE INSURANCE POLICY PAYS PER MONTH THAT POLICY?
Rs.__________
APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH HAVE YOUAPPROXIMATELY HOW MANY TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH HAVE YOU
PURCHASED ANY THING OVER Rs.1000 IN VALUE AT NANZ STORE?PURCHASED ANY THING OVER Rs.1000 IN VALUE AT NANZ STORE?
0 1 2 3 4 5 MORE ( SPECIFY_ )

9. Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio Scales Provide Different InformationNominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio Scales Provide Different Information

10. Facts About the Four Levels of ScalesFacts About the Four Levels of Scales

11. Facts About the Four Levels of Scales (cont’d)Facts About the Four Levels of Scales (cont’d)

12. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCALES AND SCALING
PROPERTIES
SCALING PROPERTIESSCALING PROPERTIES
SCALE DESCRIPTION ORDER DISTANCESCALE DESCRIPTION ORDER DISTANCE
ORIGINORIGIN
NOMINAL YES NO NONOMINAL YES NO NO
NONO
ORDINAL YES YES NOORDINAL YES YES NO
NONO
INTERVAL YES YES YESINTERVAL YES YES YES
NONO
RATIO YES YES YESRATIO YES YES YES
YESYES

13. Classification of Scales
Comparative vs non-comparative scales

14.  Comparative scales – In comparative scales it is assumed that
respondents make use of a standard frame of reference before
answering the question.
Example:-
Formats of Comparative Scales –
 Paired comparison scales
 Rank order scale
 Constant sum rating scale
 Q-sort technique

15. Paired comparison scale
It is sometimes the case that marketing researchers wish to find out which
are the most important factors in determining the demand for a product.
Conversely they may wish to know which are the most important factors
acting to prevent the widespread adoption of a product.
For example, the respondent is suppose to ask jhis prefernce amongest 5
brands of tea A,B,C,D and E. than the pair comparison involves AB,AC,
AD, AE,BC.BD,BE,CD,CE,DE.
Another example:

16. Rank order scale
Requires respondent to order stimulus w.r.t.
Some designated property of study
Example: Rank 6 detergent brands on
“gentleness on the hands". Normally the
respondent is asked to order K/N i.e. Rank top 3
brands (=K) out of the 6 brands (=N)Implicitly
assumes (a) respondent has experience on all
the brands on the same attribute (b) respondents
ranking will correctly reflect his preference

17.  Non-Comparative Scales – In the non-comparative scales, the respondents do not make
use of any frame of reference before answering the questions.
1) Graphic Rating Scale – This is a continuous scale and the respondent is asked to tick his
preference on a graph.
Examples:

18. Itemized rating scale – In the itemized rating scale, the
respondents are provided with a scale that has a number
of brief descriptions associated with each of the
response categories. There are certain issues that
should be kept in mind while designing the itemized
rating scale.
Number of categories to be used
Odd or even number of categories
Balanced versus unbalanced scales
Types of ITEMIZED RATING SCALES
I. LIKERT SCALE
II. SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL SCALE
III. STAPEL SCALE
IV. THURSTONE SCALE

19. Likert scale
The respondents are given a certain number of items
(statements) on which they are asked to express their
degree of agreement/disagreement.
This is also called a summated scale because the
scores on individual items can be added together to
produce a total score for the respondent.
An assumption of the Likert scale is that each of the
items (statements) measures some aspect of a single
common factor, otherwise the scores on the items
cannot legitimately be summed up.
In a typical research study, there are generally 25 to 30
items on a Likert scale.

20. Example of a Likert Scale:

21. Semantic Differential Scale
This scale is widely used to compare the images of
competing brands, companies or services.
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.
The difference between Likert and Semantic differential
scale is that in Likert scale, a number of statements
(items) are presented to the respondents to express their
degree of agreement/disagreement. However, in the
semantic differential scale, bipolar adjectives or phrases
are used.

22. Example of Semantic Differential Scale:

23. SLIDE 7-20
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCEPTS AND CASES
DRDEEPAKCHAWLADRNEENASONDHI
Classification of Scales
Example of Semantic Differential Scale: (Pictorial Profile)

24. Thurstone scales
The Thurstone scale is made up of statements about a
particular issue and each statement has a numerical
value indicating the respondent's attitude about the
issue, either favorable or unfavorable. People indicate
which of the statements with which they agree and the
average response is computed.
First, you must be very clear about exactly what it is
you’re trying to measure. Then, collect statements on
the topic ranging from attitudes that are favorable to
unfavorable.

25. Example: Marriage of a Minor
Example statements are
It’s should be against the law.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Marriage is between a man and a woman.
It should be a sin.
It should be legalized.
It can harm children.
It’s just horrible.
It can’t do any harm.
It destroy child life.

26. Measurement Error
This occurs when the observed measurement on a construct or
concept deviates from its true values.
Reasons
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 interviewer may have to rephrase the same. While rephrasing
the question the interviewer’s bias may get into the responses.
Some of the questions in the questionnaire may be ambiguous
errors may be committed at the time of coding, entering of data
from questionnaire to the spreadsheet

27. Criteria for good measurement
Reliability
Reliability is concerned with consistency, accuracy
and predictability of the scale.
Methods to measures Reliability
Test–retest reliability
Split-half reliability
Cronbach’s Alpha

28. Criteria for good measurement
Validity
The validity of a scale refers to the question whether we are
measuring what we want to measure.
Different ways to measure Validity
Content validity
Concurrent validity
Predictive validity
Sensitivity
Sensitivity refers to an instrument’s ability to accurately measure
the variability in a concept.