Essentials of Marketing Research CH 10 Measurement and Attitude Scaling

scale

A device providing a range of values that correspond to different characteristics of amounts of a characteristic exhibited in observing a concept

unbalanced rating scale

A fixed-alternative rating scale that has more response categories at one end than the other, resulting in an unequal number of positive and negative categories

non-forced-choice scale

A fixed-alternative rating scale that provides a "don't know," or "no opinion" category or allowing respondents to indicate that they cannot say which alternative is their choice

forced-choice rating scale

A fixed-alternative rating scale that requires respondents to choose one of the fixed alternatives

balanced rating scale

A fixed-alternative rating scale with an equal number of positive and negative categories; a neutral point or point of indifference is at the center of the scale.

concept

A generalized idea that represents something of identifiable and distinct meaning

graphic rating scale

A measure of attitude that allows respondents to rate an object by choosing any point along a graphic continuum. Electronic slider scales work much the same way.

Likert scale

A measure of attitudes designed to allow respondents to rate how strongly they disagree or agree with carefully constructed statements, ranging from very positive to very negative attitudes toward an object

constant-sum scale

A measure of attitudes in which respondents are asked to divide a constant sum to indicate the relative importance of attributes; respondents often sort cards, but the task may also be rating task`

semantic differential

A measure of attitudes that consists of a series of bipolar rating scales with opposite terms on either end

choice

A measurement task that identifies preferences by requiring respondents to choose between two or more alternatives

sorting

A measurement task that presents a respondent with several objects or product concepts and requires the respondent to arrange the objects into piles or classify the product concepts

rating

A measurement task that requires respondents to estimate the magnitude of a characteristic or quality that a brand, store, or object possesses

ranking

A measurement task that requires respondents to rank order a small number of stores, brands, or objects on the basis of overall performance or some characteristic of the stimulus

paired comparison

A measurement technique that involves presenting the respondent with two objects and asking the respondent to pick the preferred object; more than two objects may be presented, but comparisons are made in pairs.

split-half method

A method for assessing internal consistency by checking the results of one-half of a set of scaled items against the results from the other half

multi-attribute model

A model that constructs an attitude score based on the multiplicative sum of beliefs about an opinion times the evaluation of those belief characteristics

category scale

A rating scale that consists of several response categories, often providing respondents with alternatives to indicate positions on a continuum

summated scale

A scale created by simply summing the response to each item making up the composite measure. The scores can be but do not have to be averaged by the number of items making up the composite scale.

attribute

A single characteristic or fundamental feature of an object person, situation, or issue

construct

A term used to refer to concepts measured with multiple variables

test-retest method

Administering the same scale or measure to the same respondents at two separate points in time to test for stability

attitude

An enduring disposition to consistently respond in a given manner to various aspects of the world; composed of affective, cognitive and behavioral components

index measure

An index assigns a value based on how much of the concept being measured is associated with an observation. Indexes are formed by putting several variables together systematically

reliability

An indicator of a measure's internal consistency

convergent validity

Depends on internal consistency so that multiple measures converge on a consistent meaning

construct validity

Exitss when a measure reliably measures and truthfully represents a unique concept; consists of several components including face validity, convergent validity, criterion validity, and discriminant validity

face (content) validity

Extent to which individual measures' content match the intended concepts' definition

correspondence rules

Indicate the way that a certain value on a scale corresponds to a true value of a concept

reverse coding

Means that the value assigned for a response is treated oppositely from the other items

continuous measures

Measures that reflect the intensity of a concept by assigning values that can take on any value along a scale range

discrete measures

Measures that take on only one of a finite number of values

ordinal scales

Ranking scales allowing things to be arranged based on how much of some concept they possess

ratio scales

Represent the highest form of measurement in that they have all the properties of interval scales with the additional attribute of representing absolute quantities; characterized by a meaningful absolute zero

nominal scales

Represent the most elementary level of measurement in which values are assigned to an object for identification or classification purposes only

internal consistency

Represents a measure's homogeneity or the extent to which each indicator of a concept converges on a common meaning

discriminant validity

Represents how unique or distinct is a measure; a scale should not correlate too highly with a measure of a different construct

interval scales

Scales that have both nominal and ordinal properties, but that also capture information about differences in quantities of a concept from one observation to the next

criterion validity

The ability of a measure to correlate with other standard measures of similar constructs or established criteria

coefficient alpha

The most commonly applied estimate of a multiple item scale's reliability. It represents the average of all possible split-half reliabilities for a construct

measurement

The process of describing some property of a phenomenon of interest, usually by assigning numbers in reliable and valid ways

operationalization

The process of identifying scale devices that correspond to properties of a concept involved in a research process

composite measures

assign a value to an observation based on a mathematical derivation of multiple variables

validity

the accuracy of a measure of the extent to which a score truthfully represents a concept