Classification of scales

module 2 (part 3)
 MEASUREMENT SCALES

A. Comparative B. Non-Comparative
Scales Scales

Continuous Itemised
•Paired Comparison
Rating scale Rating Scales
•Rank Order
•Constant Sum •* Likert * Thurstone
•Q Sort etc.
•* Semantic Differential * Dichotomous
•* Stapel * Guttman etc.
 A - Comparative Scale
Comparative scale is an ordinal scale where one object is
compared with another to obtain a relative measure of preference.
Respondents evaluate two or more objects and select one which is
preferred in comparison to others.
Comparative scale data must be interpreted in relative terms only.
Comparative scales may be classified into
◦ (i) Paired Comparison,
◦ (ii) Rank order,
◦ (iii)Constant sum,
◦ (iv) Q sort etc.
 A(i) . Paired Comparison
Most widely used comparative scaling technique.
A respondent is presented with two objects and asked
to select one according to some comparative criteria.
Data obtained are ordinal and relative in nature.
Example:

Which of the following food do you prefer most

Indian Chinese
 A(ii). Rank order scaling
Respondents are presented with several objects
simultaneously and asked to order or rank them according to
some comparative criterion.
It also result in ordinal data
Example:
ATM SERVICES RANK
Rank (1-3)the given services of ATM as Cash Withdrawal 2
per your usage (Most using services is Balance Enquiry 1
to be ranked high) Fund Transfer 3
 A(ii). Constant Sum Scaling
It is a ratio scale. Distribute 100 points to the following services of
ATM as per your usage

Respondents are asked to

allocate a constant sum of Services of ATM Rank Points
units such as 100 points to Cash Withdrawal 70
attributes of a variable. Balance Enquiry 25
Fund Transfer 0
If an attribute is unimportant,
Other 5
the respondents can assign 100
zero point to it
 A(iv). The Q Sort Scaling
It is a comparative scale where respondents are asked to sort a
large number of objects into piles (bundles) according to some
criteria.
The objects to be sorted shall not be less than 60 and not more
than 140. But the range between 60 to 90 is considered as ideal.
Example: The respondents are given 60 motivational statements on
individual cards and are asked to place these cards in 11 piles,
ranging from the “Most agreed with” to the “Least agreed with”.
 Q SORT SCALE
Least Agreed Most Agreed
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
S5 S13 S45 S14 S15 S46 S49 S19 S35 S34 S15
S23 S32 S4 S24 S36 S2 S3 S22 S21 S20
S25 S50 S26 S33 S43 S38 S39 S8 S48 S6
S18 S9 S1 S42 S52 S53 vS17 S47 S31 S7
S10 S41 S56 S57 S37 S60 S30 S55 S27
S51 SS40 S16 S54 S28 S59

S44 S58 S29

S11
 B- Non-comparative scale
In this scale, object is scaled independently
(without comparing with any other object).
The resulting data is generally assumed to be
nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio scaled.
Non comparative scale may be broadly classified
into
◦ Continuous Rating scale and
◦ Itemized scales.
 Non-Comparative Scales

Continuous Rating Scale Itemised Rating Scales

Graphic Rating Scale Likert Scale

Semantic Differential Scale
Stapel Scale
Thurston Scales
Dichotomous scale
Guttman Scale etc.
 B1.1. Continuous Rating Scale
(Graphic Rating Scale)
The respondents rate the objects by placing a mark at the
appropriate position on a line that runs from one extreme
of the criterion variable to another.
It is generally used for appraising performance.
It can either be vertical or horizontal.
Example
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(Poor quality) (Neither good nor bad) (Good quality)
 B2. Itemized Rating Scales
These are ordinal scale that has a brief description associated
with each category of scale value.
The respondents are asked to select an appropriate category on
the basis of a criterion.
They essentially take the form of the multiple choice questions.
Examples of itemised scales are –
◦ Likert Scale,
◦ Sementic Differential Scale,
◦ Stapel Scale,
◦ Thurston scale,
◦ Dichotomous scale,
◦ Guttman scale etc.
 LIKERT SCALE
◦ The original idea of the Likert scale is published in an article titled
‘ A technique for the measurement of attitudes’ by Rensis Likert in
1932.
◦ He used a five point scale (Strongly approve, Approve, Undecided,
Disapprove and Strongly disapprove) to measure the attitude and
opinions of the respondents.
◦ It is the most widely used scale in survey research.
◦ Likert scaling is a bipolar scaling method (with two opposite
streams), characterized by a continuum between two opposite
end points.
 LIKERT SCALE
◦ Here, the respondents are asked to indicate their degree of
agreement and disagreement with a series of statements.
◦ Each scale item has 5 response categories ranging from strongly
agree to strongly disagree.
◦ Each degree of agreement is given a numerical score and the
respondents total score is computed by summing these scores.
This total score of respondent reveals the particular opinion of a
person.
◦ A typical Likert scale has 20 - 30 statements.
◦ There are some other Likert-type scales with three and seven
response categories.
 Likert Scale Questions : Example

SD -Strongly Disagree,D-disagree, N- Neutral, A-Agree SA- Strongly Agree

 

 
d

 
 Semantic differential scale
(SD Scale)
◦ This scale was developed by Charles Osgood & his
associates in 1957.
◦ It is a bi-polar rating scale usually measured at 7 points.
◦ Bi-polar means two opposite streams. Both ends of the
scale is marked with bi-polar labels.
◦ The semantic differential scale chart is the graphic
representation of the scores of this scale.
◦ It is used to measure attitudes, feelings and opinions.
Semantic Differential Scale: Examples
Semantic Differential Scale Chart
 Stapel Scale
It was developed by Jan Stapel
It is a unipolar (one adjective) rating scale used to measure the
attitude of the respondents towards an object or event.
The scale is comprised of 10 response categories ranging from –5 to
+5 without any neutral point (zero).
The scale can also be constructed with less than 10 categories (8, 6
or 4) Example: -3 to +3.
The response categories have numerical labels but no verbal labels.
The scale is usually constructed vertically with a single adjective in
the middle of the range of values
Measuring the attitude of employees in a bank
+5 +5 +5
+4 +4 +4
+3 +3 +3
+2 +2 +2
+1 +1 +1
Friendly Polite Helping Mind
-1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2
-3 -3 -3
-4 -4 -4
-5 -5 -5
 Thurstone scale
Thurstone scale is considered as the first formal attitude
measurement scale.
It was developed by Louis Leon Thurstone in 1928 for measuring
religious attitudes.
It is made up of number of statements to which the respondents
are asked to agree or disagree.
A numerical value (weight) ranging from 1 (extremely
unfavourable) to 11 (Extremely favourable) is assigned to each
statement on the basis of the data obtained from the rating of
some judges.
Thurston Scale : Example
 Dichotomous scale
It is a two point nominal scale.
A question has two options that are absolutely
opposite each other (mutually exclusive)
Respondent has to select any one of these two
possible values. He has no option to be neutral on
his answer.
‘Yes or No’, ‘True or False’ questions are the
examples of questions in dichotomous scale
 Dichotomous Scale Questions - Examples

Q. Do you own a car

Yes No

Q. Which method of payment do you prefer for your bills.

Online Offline

Q. Government should reduce the taxes of petroleum products

Agree Disagree

Q. Your area of residence

Urban Rural
 Guttman scale
This scale was developed by Louis Guttman.
Guttman scaling is also known as cumulative
scaling or Scalogram analysis.
Guttman scale presents a number of statements to which the
person is requested to agree or not agree (Typically in Yes or No
format)
These statements are arranged in hierarchical order and each
statement will have a value according to its importance.
Statements are finalised and values are assigned on the basis of
the ratings of some experts/judges.
 Guttman scale
The respondents are requested to answer statements that
represent an increasingly extreme position.
It can be inferred that respondents who agree to one
statement, would have agreed to all the other statements
above (asked before) the agreed one.
For example, on a Guttman scale with 5 statements, if a
respondent agreed to the third statement, it indicates that
he has also agreed to the first two statements.
This scale is used to ask many questions in a short amount of
time. (Particularly in mailed/telephone surveys)
 Guttman Scale : Example

1. Are you willing to permit immigrants to live in your country? Yes No

2. Are you willing to permit immigrants to live in your community? Yes

 No

3. Are you willing to permit immigrants to live in your neighborhood? Yes No

4. Are you willing to permit immigrants to live next door to you? Yes No

5. Would you permit your child to marry an immigrant? Yes No



A person agreed with the third statement on this five-item Guttman scale.
Therefore, it is inferred that he has agreed with first two statements and disagreed with the last two
statements.
 SUMMARY OF CLASSIFICATION OF SCALES

CLASSIFICATION OF SCALES

Comparative Non-Comparative
Scales Scales

Continuous Itemised
•Paired Comparison
Rating scale Rating Scales
•Rank Order
•Constant Sum •* Likert * Thurstone
•Q Sort