Marketing Research Ch. 7

Ordinal scale

-Allows a respondent to express relative magnitude between the answers to a question •Mode, median, frequency distributions, and ranges can be applied to ordinal scales

Ratio scale

-Allows the researcher not only to identify the absolute differences between each scale point but also to make comparisons between the responses •This enables a "true natural zero" or "true state of nothing" response

What is a construct?

-An abstract idea or concept formed in a person's mind -The idea is a combination of several similar characteristics of the construct -The characteristics are the variables that collectively define the concept. •These variables makes measurement of the concept possible.

The Measurement Process

-As part of the measurement process, researchers assign either numbers or labels to phenomena they measure The measurement process consists of two tasks: •Construct selection/development - the goal is to precisely identify and define what is to be measured •Scale measurement - this determines how to precisely measure each construct.

Scale Measurement

-Involves assigning a set of scale descriptors to represent the range of possible responses to a particular question -Scale measurement assigns degrees of intensity to the responses -The degrees of intensity are commonly referred to as scale points Four scale levels: •Nominal •Ordinal •Interval •Ratio

Identify the true statements about a nominal scale

-It does not allow researchers to rank a set of responses -It only allows researchers to classify responses into mutually exclusive subsets that do not have distances between them

Frequency distribution

-It is a summary of the number of times each possible response to a scale was recorded by the total group of respondents -It is the most appropriate measure for nominal scales

Identify the true statements about the equivalent form reliability technique

-It is difficult and probably impossible to create two completely equivalent scales -Equivalent form reliability is evaluated by measuring the correlations between scores on the two equivalent scale measurements

Mean

-It is the most appropriate measure for interval and ratio scales -It is the arithmetic average of all the information responses

Mode

-It is the most appropriate measure for nominal scales -It is the most frequently occurring value given among all of the responses

Median

-It is the most appropriate measure for ordinal scales -It is the sample statistic that splits the information so that half the data are above the statistic value and half are below

Range

-It shows the distance between the largest and smallest response -It is the most appropriate measure for ordinal scales

Construct Development

-Marketing constructs must be clearly defined -A construct is an unobservable concept measured indirectly by a group of related variables -Construct development is a process where researchers determine what specific data should be collected for solving the defined research problem. •Objects relevant to the research problem are identified first •Then the objective (concrete) and subjective (abstract) properties of each object are specified

Value of Measurement in Research

-Measurement is an integral part of the modern world -In most marketing situations, measurement applies to abstract things such as people's preferences -Accurate measurement is essential to effective decision making

Face validity

-Researchers use expert judgment -It involves a systematic but subjective evaluation of a scale's validity

State-of-mind information

-Responses or information representing a person's cognitive thinking, mental attributes, or emotional feelings about an object that are not directly observable or available through external sources -The accuracy and quality of this type of information are limited to the degree of honesty of the individual providing the responses to the questions

State-of-behavior information

-Responses or information that represents an individual's, object's, or organization's observable current actions/reactions or recorded past actions/reactions -Researchers have various methods available for capturing this type of information

Identify the popular techniques for evaluating internal consistency reliability

-Split-half test -Coefficient alpha

Identify the features of unbalanced scales that differentiate them from balanced scales

-They have a larger number of response choices on one side, either positive or negative -They often introduce bias in the research project

State-of-being information

-Verifiable responses or information representing the physical and/or demographic or socioeconomic characteristics of individuals, objects, or organizations -Researchers can use external sources to verify the data

Which of the following scales is designed to allow a "true natural zero" or "true state of nothing" response as a valid response to a question?

A ratio scale

Free-choice scale

A scale that has a center neutral response

Forced-choice scale

A scale that lacks a neutral descriptor to divide positive and negative answers

Semantic Differential Scale

A unique bipolar ordinal scale format that captures a person's attitudes or feelings on a given object

Origin property

A unique scale descriptor designated as being a "true natural zero" or "true state of nothing"

Validity is a measure of ______ in measurement

Accuracy

Likert Scale

An ordinal scale format asking respondents to indicate the extent to which they agree or disagree with a series of mental or behavioral belief statements about a given subject

Scale Validity

Assesses whether a scale measures what it is supposed to measure - a measure of accuracy

A special type of rating scale designed to capture the likelihood that people will demonstrate some type of predictable behavior intent toward purchasing an object or service in a future time frame is called a ______

Behavioral intention scale

Sharon, a researcher, is using a rating scale to collect data for her study on the likelihood of consumers visiting particular restaurants. The rating scale assesses the likelihood of consumers visiting EatnShop, VictoryDine, GentleFoods, and Hog and Blog. The scale points are as follows: Would definitely eat here; Would probably eat here; Would probably not eat here; Would definitely not eat here. In this scenario, Sharon is using a _____

Behavioral intention scale

In the context of measurement scales, which of the following best exemplifies a construct?

Brand Loyalty

Properties of a Consumer

Concrete and Abstract

A hypothetical variable made up of a set of component responses or behaviors that are thought to be related is called a(n)

Construct

The integrative process in which researchers determine what particular data should be collected for solving the defined research problem is called ____

Construct Development

Interval scale

Demonstrates absolute differences between each scale point

Behavioral Intention Scale

Designed to capture the likelihood that people will demonstrate predictable behavior with future purchases

The scale's ability to differentiate between categorical scale responses, or points, is called its _____

Discriminatory Power

Forced choice scale

Does not have a neutral descriptor •A scale including a neutral response is a non-forced or free-choice scale

Rank-Order Scales

Enables respondents to compare objects by indicating their order of preference or choice from first to last

Distance property

Enables the researcher and respondent to identify, understand, and express absolute (or assumed) differences between objects

Order property

Establishes "relative magnitudes" between descriptors creating hierarchical rank-order relationships among objects

True or false: The more scale points researchers use, the lesser the discriminatory power of the scale and the lesser the variability in the collected data

False

Balanced scale

Has an equal number of positive and negative response alternatives •An unbalanced scale has more options on one side

A difference between balanced and unbalanced scales is that balanced scales _______

Have an equal number of positive and negative response options

State-of-behavior

Information is the current observable actions or recorded past actions of individuals or organizations

State-of-mind

Information represents a person's mental attributes or feelings about an object - not directly observable or available through external sources

State-of-intention

Information represents the expressed plan of individuals or organizations to undertake specified future behavioral actions

A scale that demonstrates absolute differences between each scale point, but does not allow researchers to make absolute comparisons between responses, is called a(n) ______

Interval Scale

To measure consumer responses, CellMan Inc., a mobile phone company, asks its users to rate its products' features on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is "Strongly disliked this feature" and 5 is "Absolutely loved this feature." CellMan Inc. is using ______ to measure consumer responses

Interval Scales

Test-retest technique

Involves repeating the scale measurement with either the same sample at two different times or two different samples of respondents under nearly the same conditions

A coefficient alpha

It involves calculating the average of all possible split-half measures that result from dividing the scale questions in different ways

A split-half test

It involves dividing scale questions into two halves and correlating the resulting halves' scores against one another

Convergent validityGeorge, a researcher, is using a rating scale to collect data on the qualities of teachers at a college. The scale points are as follows: Personality traits: Punctual Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Never on time Friendly Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Hostile Careful Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Careless Subject matter expertise: Knowledgeable Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Ignorant Skilled Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Unskilled Qualified Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Blank______ Unqualified In this scenario, George is using a

It is assessed with multi-item scales and represents a condition in which the multiple items assessing one construct share a high proportion of variance

Discriminant validity

It is the extent to which one construct differs from other constructs and represents a unique construct

Estimated standard deviation

It is the most appropriate measure for interval and ratio scales

Standard deviation

It is the statistical value that specifies the extent of variation in the responses

An ordinal scale format that asks respondents to indicate the degree to which they agree or disagree with a series of mental belief or behavioral belief statements about a given object is called a(n) _______

Likert scale

Li, a researcher, is trying to collect data regarding adolescent behavior in schools using a questionnaire. The scale points in the measurement instrument are as follows: 5, Strongly Disagree; 4, Disagree; 3, Neither Agree Nor Disagree; 2, Agree; 1, Strongly Agree. In this scenario, Li is using a _____

Likert scale

Reliability is a _____

Measure of a measurement's consistency

The process of developing methods to systematically characterize or quantify information about constructs, concepts, or objects is called ______

Measurement

_________ locate the center of a distribution of responses and are basic summary statistics

Measures of central tendency

_________ describe how the data are distributed around a central value

Measures of dispersion

A(n) ________ is the most basic and least powerful scale design in which the questions require respondents to provide only some type of descriptor as the raw response

Nominal Scale

Discriminatory power

Of scale descriptors is the scale's ability to differentiate between scale responses •The more scale points, the more variability and the greater the discriminatory power

A scale that allows a respondent to express relative magnitude between the answers to a question and arranges responses in a hierarchical pattern, but does not allow researchers to determine absolute difference between responses, is called a(n) ____

Ordinal Scale

A scale that allows a researcher to identify the absolute differences between each scale point and also to make comparisons between the responses is called a(n) ______

Ratio scale

Constant Sum Scales

Require the respondent to allocate a given number of points, usually 100, among each separate attribute or feature relative to all the other listed ones

Forced-choice scales

Researchers believe that mental attitudes almost always have a degree of a positive or negative orientation

Equivalent form technique

Researchers create two equivalent scale measurements and administer both forms to either the same sample of respondents or two samples of respondents

Free-choice scales

Respondents are provided with an easy way to express their feelings

State-of-intention information

Responses or information that represent an individual's or organization's expressed likelihood of undertaking specified future behavioral actions/reactions

The process of assigning descriptors to represent the range of possible responses to a question about a particular object or construct is called

Scale measurement

Scale measurement assigns designated degrees of intensity to responses in a given questioning or observation method. The degrees of intensity are commonly known as _____

Scale points

The extent to which a scale can reproduce the same or similar measurement results in repeated trials is called _______

Scale reliability

Which of the following assesses whether a scale measures what it is supposed to measure?

Scale validity

A unique bipolar ordinal scale format that captures a person's attitudes or feelings about a given object is called a _______

Semantic differential scale

George, a researcher, is using a rating scale to collect data on the qualities of teachers at a college. The scale points are as follows: Personality traits: Punctual ______ Never on time Friendly ______ Hostile Careful ______ Careless Subject matter expertise: Knowledgeable ______ Ignorant Skilled ______ Unskilled Qualified _____ Unqualified In this scenario, George is using a ______

Semantic differential scale

Properties of Measurement Scales

The amount of information obtained from measurement scales depends on which scaling properties are activated in the design of measurement

Researchers develop two similar yet different scale measurements for a given construct and administer both forms to either the same sample of respondents or two samples of respondents from the same defined target population in ______

The equivalent form technique for measuring scale reliability

Scale Reliability

The extent to which a scale can reproduce the same or similar measurement results in repeated trials - measures consistency

What is at the core of construct development?

The need to determine what is to be measured exactly

Measurement

The process of determining the intensity (or amount) of information about constructs, concepts and objects

Restaurant Satisfaction Construct

The researcher is likely to: •Review the literature •Conduct interviews •Use personal experience to identify variables of restaurant satisfaction •Combine characteristics into a framework enabling an empirical investigation

Karen, a researcher, administers a test on a particular 15-member family once every fifteen days for two months. She chooses this technique of measurement to make sure the results are reliable. Identify the method used by Karen

The test-retest reliability technique

Which of the following techniques involves reiterating the scale measurement with either one sample of respondents at two different times or two different samples of respondents from one specific target population under as nearly the same conditions as possible?

The test-retest reliability technique

Assignment property

The use of unique descriptors to identify each object in a set

Construct selection

To accurately identify and define what is to be measured

Scale measurement

To determine how to accurately measure each construct

True or false: Absolute difference between rankings cannot be determined using ordinal scales

True

Graphic Rating Scales

Use a scaling descriptor format that presents a respondent with a continuous line as the set of possible responses

Non-comparative rating scale

Used when the objective is to have a respondent express their attitudes, behavior, or intentions about a specific object without referring to another object

Comparative rating scale

Used when the objective is to have a respondent express their attitudes, feelings, or behaviors about an object based on some other object

Nominal scale

Uses questions requiring respondents to provide only some type of descriptor as the raw response

Categorical Types of Information

When the problem requires relevant information and verifiable facts about the characteristics of individuals, objects, organizations, the information is considered state-of-being in nature

Concrete Properties

•Age •Sex •Marital status •Brand last purchased •Income •Dollar amount of purchase •Types of products purchased •Color of eyes and hair

Abstract Properties

•Attitudes toward a product •Brand loyalty •High-involvement purchases •Emotions (love, fear, anxiety) •Intelligence •Personality

Content validity

•Measures the extent a construct represents all the relevant dimensions •Requires rigorous statistical assessment •Is assessed before data is collected -It requires more rigorous statistical assessment than the other measure of scale validity

Developing Measurement Scales

•Understanding the research problem •Identifying and developing constructs •Establishing detailed data requirements •State of being, mind, behavior, and intention •Understanding the scaling properties •Selecting the appropriate measurement scale