Measurement Scales. Flashcards by Hannah Simpson

What do we call the data that we collect in our research that is not processes or sorted?

Raw Data.

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What do we look for in data?

We look for patterns in data.

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Explain what is meant by a categorical variable.

A variable that can be placed into one category and can’t be placed in between. (Smoker vs Non smoker)
Eg. A person has to fall into one category either smoker or non smoker.

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A categorical variable puts people into specific ____.

Boxes.

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Star-Signs are an example of what type of variable?

Categorical Variable.

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What can we consider any sort of variable that operates above the level of mere categorising as?

A measured Variable.

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“Stephen is very handsome.”

What is problematic about this measured variable?

We know he is more handsome than someone who’s slightly handsome
BUT people have different ideas of what is “handsome”.

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Measured variables give us an idea of the _______ of that particular variable.

Quantification.

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“Stephen is 6 feet tall”

What is this variable an example of?

A measured variable.

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Why is height a good measured variable?

We have a clear scale that’s measured and it is universally acknowledged.

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With a measured variable such as height there is no _____________.

Ambiguity.

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Before we analyse data, what do we need to know?

You need to know what type of data you have.

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Name the 2 Dimensions to measurement scales.

NOIR (Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio) scales

2. and whether its continuous or discrete.

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In any research, there needs to be a ____ way of measuring the ________ you have decided to measure.

Systematic, Variables.

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Psychologists use 4 different scales of measurement. Name them.

Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio

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Out of the 4 different scales, 3 are on the numerical scale however 1 is a categorisation scale. Name what scale is the categorisation scale.

Nominal.

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As we go up the pecking order of scales, from _____ to ______, the scales get more _______ and ______.

Nominal, Ratio, Powerful, Sophisticated.

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What Scale is the least powerful?

Nominal Scale.

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What does the Nominal Scale do?

It allocates objects or people into categories.

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What scale is sometimes referred to as the “categorical” scale?

The Nominal Scale.

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What scale refers to data that are categorical?

Nominal Scale.

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Name some examples of the type of data that the nominal scale would be used for.

Gender (female/male)
Smoking status (smoker/non smoker)
Marital Status (married/not married/widow/divorced)

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In the nominal scale people can be divided into _______ based on ___ characteristic.

Categories, 1 (and only 1).

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In terms of height, how would a sample of people be divided using the nominal scale?

A tall group

- A short group.

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In the Nominal Scale we use a simple categorical variable, what is this known as?

A nominal variable.

When we put people in the "tall" group, what have we done?

-We have assigned them a value on the basis of a sole classification (tall or small).

For the nominal scale what do we not need to distinguish one from another?

We don't need numbers to distinguish one from another.

What is important in the nominal scale?

We must be able to lace each item into one category, and it can't be included in more than one category.

Nominal data must all have a ________ feature.

Common.

In the nominal scale, what is a criticism of people being placed in categories eg. tall/ short?

We don't know any real quantitative information eg. HOW tall/ short each person is.

The nominal scale gives us the least amount of _______ information, it is not really a measurement, it's more of a ___________.

Quantitative, Pigeonhole.

What scale would be used for the frequency of different blood groups? And why?

Nominal Scale - Put into groups on the basis of one factor eg. blood groups - Can't be in two blood groups.

What does the Ordinal Scale do?

The ordinal scales put items in order eg. it ranks items.

In terms of height, how would the data be organised using an ordinal scale?

From smallest to tallest.

Instead of categories, what does the ordinal scale use?

Ranks.

What does ordinal data tell us? (explain using height example)

It tells us a bit more data than nominal scale, as we now know who's taller than who, BUT there is still quantification missing because we don't know HOW MUCH taller they are.

Ordinal Numbers represent a ______ in a group, as a from of _________.

Position, Ranking.

Ranks have __________ values.

Numerical.

What does the ordinal scale not tell us?

It doesn't tell us distance between positions.

Some psychological variables are measured on ordinal scales, give an example of this.

For example using a Likert scale (questionnaire eg. strongly agree/agree/disagree etc.)

What is the issue with using Likert Scales for questionnaires?

We have an idea of the strength of agreement but we can't quantify the amount of agreement between them.

What is an Interval Scale?

Data on a continuous numerical scale with equal intervals between points on the scale.

What is a classic example of an Interval Scale?

Temperature.

What is a special feature about Interval Scales?

There is no real/absolute zero.

0 degrees doesn't mean there is _____ _______.

No temperature.

What is a ratio scale?

An interval scale with an absolute zero.

What is the only difference between interval and ratio scales?

Interval Scale = no absolute zero | Ratio Scale = absolute zero.

In ratio scales what are now meaningful? (use height as example).

Ratios between numbers or scores are now meaningful. Eg. we can say how much taller person 8 is then person 7.

Name some examples of ratio scales.

- Distance - Time - Height.

The data on the any scale can either be _____ or _______.

Discrete or continuous.

What is meant by continuous scales?

Scales where it's always theoretically possible to further subdivide units of measurement.

Name examples of continuous scales.

Time (eg 9.8 s/ 9.76 s/ 9.764 s) and Distance.

What is discrete scales?

Scales where we cannot divide the values into smaller units.

Name an example of discrete scales.

Children (can't have 2 1/2 children, can only have 2 or 3).

In discrete scales, the property being measure changes in ____ rather then ___.

Steps, Continuously.

What scales can we not find any meaningful average for?

Nominal and Ordinal.

What scales can we find meaningful averages for?

Interval and Ratio Scale.

What scale is the most powerful and sophisticated?

( Interval) Ratio Scale.

What can we perform with interval and ratio measurements?

-Perform statistics - as we can add, subtract, divide etc. in a meaningful way.

Interval and Ratio is more powerful than _____ which is more powerful than _______.

Ordinal, Nominal.

Its important to try and set up a study to collect data in the most beneficial way, using the most _____ ______ available.

Powerful Scale.