Measurement Scales. Flashcards
What do we call the data that we collect in our research that is not processes or sorted?
Raw Data.
What do we look for in data?
We look for patterns in data.
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.
A categorical variable puts people into specific ____.
Boxes.
Star-Signs are an example of what type of variable?
Categorical Variable.
What can we consider any sort of variable that operates above the level of mere categorising as?
A measured Variable.
“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”.
Measured variables give us an idea of the _______ of that particular variable.
Quantification.
“Stephen is 6 feet tall”
What is this variable an example of?
A measured variable.
Why is height a good measured variable?
We have a clear scale that’s measured and it is universally acknowledged.
With a measured variable such as height there is no _____________.
Ambiguity.
Before we analyse data, what do we need to know?
You need to know what type of data you have.
Name the 2 Dimensions to measurement scales.
- NOIR (Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio) scales
2. and whether its continuous or discrete.
In any research, there needs to be a ____ way of measuring the ________ you have decided to measure.
Systematic, Variables.
Psychologists use 4 different scales of measurement. Name them.
Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio
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.
As we go up the pecking order of scales, from _____ to ______, the scales get more _______ and ______.
Nominal, Ratio, Powerful, Sophisticated.
What Scale is the least powerful?
Nominal Scale.
What does the Nominal Scale do?
It allocates objects or people into categories.
What scale is sometimes referred to as the “categorical” scale?
The Nominal Scale.
What scale refers to data that are categorical?
Nominal Scale.
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)
In the nominal scale people can be divided into _______ based on ___ characteristic.
Categories, 1 (and only 1).
In terms of height, how would a sample of people be divided using the nominal scale?
- A tall group
- A short group.