Measurement and Scaling:

Fundamentals and Comparative Scaling

What is this?

Some obscure measurements

Measurement and Scaling

Measurement means assigning numbers or other

symbols to characteristics of objects according to
certain pre-specified rules.
• One-to-one correspondence between the
numbers and the characteristics being
measured.
• The rules for assigning numbers should be
standardized and applied uniformly.
• Rules must not change over objects or time.
 Primary Scales of Measurement

Scale
Nominal Numbers
Assigned Finish
to Runners 7 8 3

Ordinal Rank Order Finish

of Winners
Third Second First
place place place

Interval Performance
8.2 9.1 9.6
Rating on a

0 to 10 Scale
15.2 14.1 13.4

Ratio Time to Finish

in Seconds
Illustration of Primary Scales of Measurement

Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio

Scale Scale Scale Scale
Preference Preference $ spent last
No. Store Rankings Ratings 3
months 1-7 11-17
7 79 5 15 0
1. Parisian 2 25 7 17 200
2. Macy’s 8 82 4 14 0
3. Kmart 3 30 6 16 100
4. Kohl’s 1 10 7 17 250
5. J.C. Penney 5 53 5 15 35
6. Neiman Marcus 9 95 4 14 0
7. Marshalls 6 61 5 15 100
8. Saks Fifth Avenue 4 45 6 16 0
9. Sears 10 115 2 12 10
10.Wal-Mart
 A Classification of Scaling Techniques

Scaling Techniques

Comparative Noncomparative
Scales Scales

Paired Rank Constant Q-Sort and Continuous Itemized

Comparison Order Sum Other Rating Scales Rating Scales
Procedures

Likert Semantic Stapel

Differential
 A Comparison of Scaling Techniques

• Comparative scales involve the direct

comparison of stimulus objects. Comparative
scale data must be interpreted in relative terms
and have only ordinal or rank order properties.

• In noncomparative scales, each object is

scaled independently of the others in the
stimulus set. The resulting data are generally
assumed to be interval or ratio scaled.
Relative Advantages of Comparative Scales

• Small differences between stimulus objects

can be detected.
• Same known reference points for all
respondents.
• Easily understood and can be applied.
• Involve fewer theoretical assumptions.
• Tend to reduce halo or carryover effects
from one judgment to another.
Comparative Scaling Techniques
Paired Comparison Scaling

• A respondent is presented with two objects and

asked to select one according to some criterion.
• The data obtained are ordinal in nature.
• With n brands, [n(n - 1) /2] paired comparisons
are required.
• It is possible to convert paired comparison data
to a rank order.
Paired Comparison Selling

A paired comparison taste test

Obtaining Shampoo Preferences Using Paired
Comparisons

Instructions: We are going to present you with ten pairs of

shampoo brands. For each pair, please indicate which one of the
two brands of shampoo you would prefer for personal use.
Jhirmack Finesse Vidal Head & Pert
Recording Form: Sassoon Shoulders
Jhirmack 0 0 1 0
Finesse 1a 0 1 0
Vidal Sassoon 1 1 1 1
Head & Shoulders 0 0 0 0
Pert 1 1 0 1
Number of Times 3 2 0 4 1
Preferredb
a
A 1 in a particular box means that the brand in that column was preferred
over the brand in the corresponding row. A 0 means that the row brand was
preferred over the column brand. bThe number of times a brand was
preferred is obtained by summing the 1s in each column.
Comparative Scaling Techniques
Rank Order Scaling

• Respondents are presented with several objects

simultaneously and asked to order or rank them
according to some criterion.
• Only (n - 1) scaling decisions need be made in
rank order scaling.
Preference for Toothpaste Brands
Using Rank Order Scaling

Instructions: Rank the various brands of toothpaste in

order of preference. Begin by picking out the one brand that
you like most and assign it a number 1. Then find the
second most preferred brand and assign it a number 2.
Continue this procedure until you have ranked all the
brands of toothpaste in order of preference. The least
preferred brand should be assigned a rank of 10.

No two brands should receive the same rank number.

The criterion of preference is entirely up to you. There is no

right or wrong answer. Just try to be consistent.
Preference for Toothpaste Brands
Using Rank Order Scaling

Form
Brand Rank Order
1. Crest _________
2. Colgate _________
3. Aim _________
4. Gleem _________
5. Sensodyne _________
6. Ultra Brite _________
7. Close Up _________
8. Pepsodent _________
9. Plus White _________
10. Stripe _________
Comparative Scaling Techniques
Constant Sum Scaling

• Respondents allocate a constant sum of units,

such as 100 points to attributes of a product to
reflect their importance.
• If an attribute is twice as important as some
other attribute, it receives twice as many points.
Importance of Bathing Soap Attributes
Using a Constant Sum Scale

Instructions
On the next slide, there are eight attributes of
bathing soaps. Please allocate 100 points among
the attributes so that your allocation reflects the
relative importance you attach to each attribute.
The more points an attribute receives, the more
important the attribute is. If an attribute is not at
all important, assign it zero points. If an attribute
is twice as important as some other attribute, it
should receive twice as many points.
 Importance of Bathing Soap Attributes
Using a Constant Sum Scale

Form
Average Responses of Three Segments
Attribute
Segment I Segment
8 II Segment
2 III 4
1. Mildness 2 4 17
2. Lather 3 9 7
3. Shrinkage 53 17 9
4. Price 9 0 19
5. Fragrance 7 5 9
6. Packaging 5 3 20
7. Moisturizing 13 60 15
8. Sum
Cleaning Power 100 100 100
Noncomparative Scaling Techniques

• Respondents evaluate only one object at a time,

and for this reason non-comparative scales
are often referred to as monadic scales.

• Non-comparative techniques consist of

continuous and itemized rating scales.
Continuous Rating Scale

Respondents rate the objects by placing a mark at the appropriate position

on a line that runs from one extreme of the criterion variable to the
other.
The form of the continuous scale may vary considerably.

How would you rate Sears as a department store?

Version 1
Probably the worst - - - - - - -I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Probably the best

Version 2
Probably the worst - - - - - - -I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --Probably the best
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Version 3
Very bad Neither good Very good
nor bad
Probably the worst - - - - - - -I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---Probably the best
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
 Itemized Rating Scales

• The respondents are provided with a scale that has

a number or brief description associated with each
category.

• Respondents are required to select the specified

category that best describes the object being rated.
 Likert Scale

The Likert scale requires the respondents to indicate a degree of agreement or

disagreement with each of a series of statements about the stimulus objects.

Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly

disagree agree nor agree

disagree

1. Sears sells high-quality merchandise. 1 2X 3 4 5

2. Sears has poor in-store service. 1 2X 3 4 5

3. I like to shop at Sears. 1 2 3X 4 5

• The analysis can be conducted on an item-by-item basis (profile analysis), or a

total (summated) score can be calculated.

• When arriving at a total score, the categories assigned to the negative

statements by the respondents should be scored by reversing the scale.
Semantic Differential Scale

The semantic differential is a seven-point rating scale with

end points associated with bipolar labels that have semantic
meaning.
X IS:
Powerful --:--:--:--:-X-:--:--: Weak
Unreliable --:--:--:--:--:-X-:--: Reliable
Modern --:--:--:--:--:--:-X-: Old-fashioned
• The negative adjective or phrase sometimes appears at the
left side of the scale and sometimes at the right.
• Individual items on a semantic differential scale may be
scored on either a -3 to +3 or a 1 to 7 scale.
 Stapel Scale

The Stapel scale is a unipolar rating scale with ten categories

numbered from -5 to +5, without a neutral point (zero). This
scale is usually presented vertically.
SEARS

+5 +5
+4 +4
+3 +3
+2 +2X
+1 +1
HIGH QUALITY POOR SERVICE
-1 -1
-2 -2
-3 -3
-4X -4
-5 -5
The data obtained by using a Stapel scale can be analyzed in the
same way as semantic differential data.
Summary of Itemized Scale Decisions

1) Number of categories Although there is no single, optimal number,

traditional guidelines suggest that there
should be between five and nine categories
2) Balanced vs. unbalanced In general, the scale should be balanced to
obtain objective data
3) Odd/even no. of categories If a neutral or indifferent scale response is
possible for at least some respondents,
an odd number of categories should be used
4) Forced vs. non-forced In situations where the respondents are
expected to have no opinion, the accuracy of
the data may be improved by a non-forced
scale
5) Verbal description An argument can be made for labeling all or
many scale categories. The category
descriptions should be located as close to
the response categories as possible
6) Physical form A number of options should be tried and the
best selected