Chapter 10 Flashcards
Measurement is the process of describing some property of a phenomenon, usually by assigning numbers, in a reliable
and valid way.
True
A scale can be thought of as a generalized idea that represents something of meaning.
False
This is a concept. Scales measure concepts.
Correspondence analysis is the process of identifying scale devices that correspond to properties of a concept involved
in a research process.
False
This is called operationalization.
A construct is a latent concept that is measured with a single variable
False
Constructs are measured with multiple variables.
An ordinal scale is the simplest type of measurement scale.
False
A nominal scale is the most elementary level of measurement.
A measurement scale in which respondents are asked to rank items based on their preferences is called a nominal scale.
False
This is an ordinal scale
The Fahrenheit temperature scale is a ratio scale
False
It is an interval scale.
Interval scales are able to represent absolute quantities including a meaningful absolute zero.
False
Ratio scales do this. Interval scales capture information about differences in quantities of a concept.
In ratio scales, the location of the zero point is arbitrary.
False
Ratio scales have an absolute zero. This is what distinguishes a ratio scale from an interval
scale because zero in a ratio scale has meaning in that it represents an absence of some
concept.
“Money” provides a ratio scale.
True
Concrete measures are those that take on only one of a finite number of values
False
These are discrete measures.
Continuous measures are those assigning values anywhere along some scale range in a place that corresponds to the
intensity of some concept.
True
Interval scales are considered continuous when three or more categories are used.
False
RATIONALE: They are considered continuous when five or more categories are used.
A measuring instrument is valid when the results can be repeated at subsequent measurements of the concept.
False
RATIONALE: This is reliability. Validity refers to the extent to which a score truthfully represents a concept.
Coefficient beta is the most commonly applied estimate of a composite scale’s reliability.
False
RATIONALE: Coefficient alpha is most commonly used.
Discriminant validity is another way of expressing internal consistency.
False
RATIONALE: This is convergent validity. Discriminant validity represents how unique or distinct is a
measure.
Attitudes are thought to have three components: affective, cognitive, and behavioral.
True
Ranking asks the respondent to estimate the magnitude or the extent to which some characteristic exists.
False
RATIONALE: This is a rating task.
The category scale measures attitude with greater sensitivity than a two-point response scale.
True
Semantic differential scales can be scored using the following values, in order: -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, +3
True
Marketing researchers generally assume that the semantic differential provides interval data.
True
The fractional-point scale demands that respondents divide points among several attributes to indicate their relative
importance.
False
RATIONALE: This is called a constant-sum scale.
In a graphic rating scale, a respondent’s score is the length in millimeters from one end of the scale to the point marked
on the scale by the respondent.
True
A balanced rating scale has a neutral point, or point of indifference, at the center of the scale.
True
Researchers who support the idea of forced-choice scales essentially argue that the respondents really do have an
attitude toward the items that they are asked about.
True
. \_\_\_\_ is the process of describing some property of a phenomenon, usually by assigning numbers, in a reliable and valid way. a. Research b. Analysis c. Validation d. Measurement
d
Age, gender, brand loyalty, and corporate culture are all examples of ____.
a. concepts
b. scales
c. ratios
d. codes
a
. ____ definitions translate conceptual definitions into measurement scales.
a. Summation
b. Operational
c. Assessment
d. Matching
b
Which of the following provides correspondence rules that indicate that a certain value corresponds to some true value of a concept? a. operations b. reliability c. sensitivity d. scale
d
Which of the following refers to concepts measured with multiple variables?
a. operation
b. construct
c. concept
d. scale
b
Which type of scale is regarded as the highest form of measurement?
a. nominal scale
b. ordinal
c. ratio
d. interval
c
A person’s weight is best described as being measured on a(n) ____ scale.
a. ordinal
b. interval
c. ratio
d. nominal
c
Which characteristic is a key difference between ratio and interval scales?
a. number of items
b. absolute zero
c. number of intervals
d. nominal values
b
All of the following can be measured using ratio scales EXCEPT ____.
a. gender
b. income
c. temperature
d. weight
a
Measures that can take on only one of a finite number of values are called ____.
a. discrete measures
b. neutral measures
c. limited measures
d. continuous measures
a
Which of the following is a discrete measure?
a. nominal scales
b. sensitive scales
c. ratio scales
d. a scale with five values
a
Which type of measure reflects the intensity of a concept by assigning scores that can take on any value along some scale range? a. discrete measure b. continuous measure c. absolute measure d. valid measure
b
A(n) ____ is a single characteristic or fundamental feature of an object, person, situation, or issue.
a. concept
b. variable
c. attribute
d. construct
c
Which type of measure assigns a value to an observation based on a mathematical derivation of multiple measures?
a. conglomerate measure
b. derivative measure
c. summated measure
d. composite measure
d
A researcher is measuring consumers’ attitudes toward product placement in movies using five attitude items. She
created a scale by simply adding up the responses to each item making up the composite measure. This composite
measure is called a(n) ____.
a. derived scale
b. additive scale
c. summated scale
d. primary scale
c
In ____, the value assigned for a response takes on a value opposite to that normally assigned to the scale labels.
a. reverse coding
b. indexing
c. alpha coding
d. convergence
a
Which of the following is an indicator of a measure’s internal consistency?
a. reliability
b. validity
c. coefficient beta
d. sensitivity
a
A researcher measures the reliability of an instrument by comparing the results of the odd-numbered questions with
the results of the even-numbered questions. What type of reliability is being assessed?
a. test-retest
b. split-half
c. equivalent-forms
d. criterion
b
When a group of experts agrees that a measuring instrument measures what it is intended to measure, we say that the instrument has \_\_\_\_ validity. a. face b. criterion c. test-retest d. equivalent-forms
a
Which type of validity addresses the question, “Does my measure correlate with measures of similar concepts or known quantities?” a. face validity b. reliability validity c. criterion validity d. discriminant validity
c
Which type of validity is another way of expressing internal consistency?
a. content validity
b. convergent validity
c. criterion validity
d. discriminant validity
b
Which attitude component represents a person’s awareness and knowledge of the matter?
a. affective
b. cognitive
c. behavioral
d. personal
b
“I hate asparagus” is an example of which component of an attitude toward asparagus?
a. affective
b. behavioral
c. cognitive
d. perceptive
a
“I plan to buy a new DVD player sometime in the next three months” is an aspect of which component of an attitude?
a. cognitive
b. affective
c. behavioral
d. personal
c
A respondent is given a list of four local shopping malls and asked to put them in order, from the one he most likes to
shop at to the one he least likes to shop at. This is a(n) ____ task.
a. rating
b. ranking
c. sorting
d. semantic differential
b
A respondent is given a set of 3” x 5” with the current advertising slogan for a brand or product on each card. The
respondent is asked to place the cards into two piles: one for the slogans that she recognizes and can name the brand or
product and the other for slogans she does not recognize. This is a ____ task.
a. rating
b. ranking
c. constant-sum
d. sorting
d
A respondent is asked: “How often, on the average, do you go out to a movie?” and is asked to indicate her answer by
circling one of the following: never, rarely, sometimes, often, or very often. This is best described as a(n) ____ scale.
a. semantic differential
b. Likert
c. category
d. constant-sum
c
If researcher wish to compare six brands of HDTVs on the basis of quality, how many paired comparisons will be necessary? a. 3 b. 6 c. 15 d. 30
c
In which type of scale is a neutral point, or point of indifference, at the center of the scale?
a. synergistic
b. symmetrical
c. unbalanced
d. balanced
d
When a respondent is asked whether he agrees, disagrees, or has no opinion to a series of statements, what type of scale is being used? a. forced choice b. Likert c. semantic differential d. non-forced-choice
d
A generalized idea that represents something of meaning is called a(n) ____________________
concept
The process involving identifying scales that correspond to properties of a concept is called ____________________.
operationalization
A scale that arranges objects so that they are equally-distant from one another is called a(n) ____________________
scale
interval
. A(n) ____________________ scale has an absolute zero point.
ratio
Measures that take on only one of a finite number of values are called ____________________ measures.
discrete
Measures that assign values anywhere along some scale range in a place that corresponds to the intensity of some
concept are called ____________________ measures.
continuous
____________________ validity represents the uniqueness or distinctiveness of a measure.
Discriminant
The ability of a scale to measure the variability of a concept is called ____________________.
sensitivity
An enduring disposition to respond consistently to an aspect of the world is called a(n) ____________________.
attitude
The component of attitude that represents the action associated with a certain type of attitude is the
____________________ component.
behavioral
A(n) ____________________ scale measures attitudes by using seven-point rating scales that are anchored at either
end by polar opposite adjectives.
semantic differential
When respondents are asked to divide up a fixed number of points to indicate the relative importance of features on a
new car, a(n) ____________________ scale is being used.
constant-sum
constant sum
The happy-sad face technique, often used with children, is a(n) ____________________ rating scale.
graphic
A fixed-alternative rating scale with an equal number of both positive and negative categories and a neutral point in
the middle of the scale is called a(n) ____________________ scale.
balanced
Attitudes are measured with a(n) ____________________ approach by taking belief scores assessed with some type
of rating scale and multiplying each belief score by an evaluation also supplied using some type of rating scale, and then
summing each resulting product.
multi-attribute
multi attribute
Compare and contrast the four different levels of scale measurement.
The four levels or types of scale measurement are as follows:
(1) Nominal scale: represents the most elementary level of measurement. It assigns a value to
an object for identification or classification purposes. The value can be a number, but does not
have to be, because no quantities are being represented.
(2) Ordinal scale: ranking scales allowing things to be arranged based on how much of some
concepts they possess. They have nominal properties, but they also allow things to be
arranged based on how much of some concept they possess.
(3) Interval scale: has both nominal and ordinal properties, but also captures information
about differences in quantities of a concept. Unlike ordinal scales, it captures relative
quantities in the form of distances between observations.
(4) Ratio scale: represents the highest form of measurement in that is has all the properties of
an interval scale with the additional attribute representing absolute quantities. Interval scales
represent only relative meaning whereas ratio scales represent absolute meaning. Therefore,
zero has meaning in that it represents an absence of some concept.
Explain how indexes or composite measures are formed.
Multi-item instruments for measuring a construct are either called index measures or
composite measures. An index measure assigns a value based on how characteristic an
observation is of the thing being measured. Indexes often are formed by putting several
variables together. For example, a social class index is based on three weighted variables: income, occupation, and education. With an index, the different attributes may not be strongly
correlated with each other. Composite measures also assign a value based on a mathematical
derivation of multiple variables. For most practical applications, composite measures and
indexes are computed in the same way. However, composite measures are distinguished from
index measures in that the composite’s indicators should be both theoretically and statistically
related to each other.
What is reliability and how is it assessed?
Reliability is an indicator of a measure’s internal consistency. A measure is reliable when
different attempts at measuring something converge on the same result. When a measuring
process provides reproducible results, the measuring instrument is reliable. Internal
consistency is a term used to represent a measure’s homogeneity and can be measured by
correlating scores on subsets of items making up a scale. The split-half method of checking
reliability is performed by taking half the items from a scale (e.g., odd-numbered items) and
checking them against the results from the other half (even-numbered items). The two scale
halves should correlate highly. Coefficient alpha is the most commonly applied estimate of a
composite scale’s reliability by computing the average of all possible split-half reliabilities
from a multiple-item scale. This coefficient demonstrates whether or not the different items
converge and ranges from 0 to 1, with values between 0.80 and 0.96 considered to have very
good reliability. The test-retest method of determining reliability involves administering the
same scale or measure on the same respondents at two separate times to test for stability.
Define attitude and describe the three components that comprise it.
An attitude is a social-psychological concept that can be defined as a relatively enduring
predisposition to respond consistently to various things including people, activities, events,
and objects. Attitudes are thought to have three components:
(1) Affective: expresses how much affinity someone has toward the relevant matter. This is
the feeling of liking or not liking something.
(2) Cognitive: represents a person’s awareness and knowledge of the relevant matter. It’s
what a person believes about the subject matter.
(3) Behavioral: represents the action that corresponds to a certain type of attitude.
Explain how a researcher uses the paired comparison method and determine the number of paired comparisons
necessary to compare four brands.
Paired comparison is a measurement technique that involves presenting the respondent with
two objects and asking the respondent to pick the preferred objects. More than two objects
may be presented, but comparisons are made in pairs. If a researchers wishes to compare four
brands, six comparisons will be necessary. This is determined with the following equation:
number of comparisons = [(n)(n-1)/2] = [(4)(4-1)/2] = 12/2 = 6
