About Scalling

1. Attitude Measurement

2. 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

3. Techniques for Measuring Attitudes
1. Ranking
 Requiring the respondent to rank order objects in
overall performance on the basis of a characteristic or
stimulus.
2. 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.

4. Techniques for Measuring Attitudes
3. 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.
4. Choice
 Asking a respondent to choose one alternative from
among several alternatives; it is assumed that the
chosen alternative is preferred over the others.

6. 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

7. 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 Shimla? (check
one for each item)
VERY SOMEWHAT NOT TOO
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
CLIMATE ___________ ___________ ___________
COST OF TRAVEL ___________ ___________ ___________
FAMILY ORIENTED ___________ ___________ ___________
EDUCATIONAL/HISTORICAL ASPECTS ___________ ___________ ___________
FAMILIARITY WITH AREA ___________ ___________ ___________

9. 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

10. Likert Scale Example

11. 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

12. Semantic Differential Example

13. 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.

14. Image Profiles of Indigo Airlines versus Spicejet Airlines

15. 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 TATA NEXON.
Extremely Dissatisfied 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Extremely Satisfied

16. 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.

17. A Stapel Scale for Measuring a Store’s Image

18. 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.

19. Graphic Rating Scale

20. A Ladder Scale

21. Graphic Rating Scale with Picture Response Categories
Stressing Visual Communication

22. 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 _________

23. Constant-Sum Scale Example

25. 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
 Rank Order scaling

26. Paired Comparison
• A comparative scaling technique in which a
respondent is presented with two objects at a
time and asked to select one object in the pair
according to some criterion. The data obtained
are ordinal in nature.
• Number of comparisons = [(n)(n-1)/2]

27. Paired Comparison Example

28. Rank order scaling
• 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 _____

29. 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 _____

30. Q-sort and other procedures
Q-sort:
• A comparative scaling technique that uses a rank order
procedure to sort objects based on similarity with respect
to some criterion.
Verbal protocol:
• A technique used to understand respondents’ cognitive
responses or thought processes by having them think
aloud while completing a task or making a decision. Ex:

31. 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.

32. 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)
• Comparative Rating Scale
 Asks respondents to rate a concept in comparison
with a benchmark explicitly used as a frame of
reference.
• Example:

33. 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:
Very Neither Satisfied Very
Satisfied Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
How satisfied are you with the bookstore in the Student Union?

34. 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:
Neither Satisfied Very
Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
How satisfied are you with the bookstore in the Student Union?

36. 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.
Example: How does the Bank of Commerce compare
with the First National Bank?
□ Bank of Commerce is better than First National Bank.
□ Bank of Commerce is about the same as First National Bank.
□ Bank of Commerce is worse than First National Bank.
□ Can't say.
• 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.