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Measurement of Variables: Operational Definition and Scales

This document discusses operational definitions and scales used to measure variables. It explains that while physical measurements are straightforward, measuring subjective concepts like attitudes requires operationalizing abstract ideas into observable behaviors. An operational definition delineates the dimensions and elements of a concept. Scales help distinguish how individuals differ on variables and come in nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio types that allow different levels of mathematical operations and comparisons between values. Choosing the most powerful appropriate scale aids measurement.

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151 views18 pages

Measurement of Variables: Operational Definition and Scales

This document discusses operational definitions and scales used to measure variables. It explains that while physical measurements are straightforward, measuring subjective concepts like attitudes requires operationalizing abstract ideas into observable behaviors. An operational definition delineates the dimensions and elements of a concept. Scales help distinguish how individuals differ on variables and come in nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio types that allow different levels of mathematical operations and comparisons between values. Choosing the most powerful appropriate scale aids measurement.

Uploaded by

Fred The Fish
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CH.

8
MEASUREMENT OF
VARIABLES:
OPERATIONAL
DEFINITION AND SCALES
How Variables Are Measured
• Objects that can be physically measured by
some calibrated instruments pose no
measurement problems.
• Data representing several demographic
characteristics are also easily obtained
• Certain things lend themselves to easy
measurement through the use of appropriate
measuring instruments
How Variables Are Measured
(Cont’d)
• But the measurement of people’s subjective
feelings, attitudes, and perceptions becomes
difficult.
• Despite the lack of physical measuring
devices, there are ways of tapping the
subjective feelings and perceptions of
individuals.
How Variables Are Measured
(Cont’d)
• One technique is to reduce the abstract
notions or concepts to observable behavior
and characteristics.
• Reduction of abstract concepts to render
them measurable in a tangible way is called
operationalizing the concepts.
Operational Definition:
Dimensions and Elements
• Concepts
• Dimensions
• Elements
Operational Definition:
Dimensions and Elements (Cont’d)
What an
Operational Definition is Not
• Operationally defining a concept does not
consist of delineating the reasons,
antecedents, consequences, or correlates of
the concept.
• Rather, it describes its observable
characteristics in order to be able to
measure the concept
Scales
• A scale is a tool or mechanism by which
individuals are distinguished as to how they
differ from one another on the variables of
interest to our study
Types of Scales
Nominal
Nominal

Ordinal
Ordinal

Interval
Interval

Ratio
Ratio
Levels of Measurement
Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Ordinal
Ordinal

Interval
Interval

Ratio
Ratio
Nominal Scale

• A nominal scale is the one that allow the


researcher to assign subjects to certain
categories or groups.
• For example: gender (male and female).
Levels of Measurement
Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Classification
Classification
Ordinal
Ordinal Order
Order

Interval
Interval

Ratio
Ratio
Ordinal Scale
• An ordinal scale not only categorizes the variables
in such a way as to denote difference among the
various categories, it also rank-orders the
categories in some meaningful way.
• For example: indicate the preferences by ranking
the importance of several distinct characteristics
• Ordinal scale does not give any indication of the
magnitude of the differences among the ranks.
Levels of Measurement
Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Classification
Classification
Ordinal
Ordinal Order
Order
Classification
Classification Distance
Distance
Interval
Interval Order
Order

Ratio
Ratio
Interval Scale
• An interval scale allows us to perform
certain mathematical operations on the data
collected from respondents.
• Characteristics of nominal and ordinal
scales plus the concept of equality of
interval.
• Equal distance exists between numbers
• The origin could be any arbitrary number
Levels of Measurement
Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Classification
Classification
Ordinal
Ordinal Order
Order
Classification
Classification Distance
Distance
Interval
Interval Order
Order
Classification
Classification Distance
Distance
Ratio
Ratio Order
Order Natural
NaturalOrigin
Origin
Ratio Scale

• The ratio scale overcomes the disadvantage


of the arbitrary origin point of the interval
scale, in that it has an absolute zero point,
which is a meaningful measurement point.
• It is the most powerful of the four scales.
Scales

• Whenever it is possible to use a more


powerful scale than a less one, it is wise to
do so.

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