Principles of Measurement

Question 1

Measurment in research is used as a way of _____, _____, & _____ characteristics of people.

Answer 1

understanding, evaluating, differentiating

Question 2

What are the 6 reasons measurement is used in research?

Answer 2

1. Making decisions 2. drawing conclusions 3. making absolute decisions based on a criterion 4. choosing between 2 courses of action 5. compare & discriminate btwn individuals or groups 6. draw conclusions about predictive relationships

Question 3

Measurement is the process of ____ _____ to variables to represent quantities of ____ according to _____ _____.

Answer 3

assigning numerals, characteristics, certain rules

Question 4

What type of variable takes on ANY VALUE along a continuum, has an INFINITE # of values, can add subtract multiply & divide, and its values have meaning?

Answer 4

continuous variable

Question 5

What type of variable can be described only in WHOLE UNITS and hav a FINITE number of DISTINCT VALUES?

Answer 5

Discrete variable

Question 6

What type of variable can only take on 2 values?

Answer 6

dichotomous variable

Question 7

Precision is the ______ of a measure. It is a function of what 3 things?

Answer 7

exactness; measuring instument sensitivity, data analysis system, & the variable itself

Question 8

The indirect nature of measurment deals with measurments representing quantities of characteristics. It is also a form of abstraction, we measure a correlate of the actual property. i.e. a ______.

Answer 8

construct

Question 9

The measurement of a construct is based on the __________ of the person

Answer 9

expectation

Question 10

The construct is a function of the interrelated ____ or multiple _____.

Answer 10

concepts, dimensions

Question 11

What are some examples of constructs?

Answer 11

hypertension, disability, strength, flexibility

Question 12

What are some examples of concepts?

Answer 12

BP, gait, 8 RM, joint ROM

Question 13

What are the 4 hierarchial scales of measurement in the order of highest level to lowest level?

Answer 13

ratio, interval, ordinal, nominal scale

Question 14

What is the nominal scale?

Answer 14

classification or categorical scale, one category not higher than another, categories are mutually exclusive, no mathmatical calculations, only count & report frequencies, are considered discrete variables

Question 15

What is the ordinal scale?

Answer 15

implies order and magnitude, categories are rank-ordered, rank-order based on operational definitions, intervals between rank may not be consistent or know, has no natural origin, labels representing position, used with descriptive analysis, cannot perform mathmatical calculations, results have no true meaning other than as defined

Question 16

What is the interval scale?

Answer 16

rank-ordered like ordinal scale, known & equal values btwn units of measurement, no true zero point (negative numbers possible), can add or subtract, can interpret actual quantities from results

Question 17

What is the ratio scale?

Answer 17

its the highest level of measurement, absolute zero point whith empirical meaning, negative values are not possible, represent actual amounts of what is measured, all mathmatical & statistical procedures can be used