Measurement and Scaling

Measurement

Measurement means assigning numbers 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.
Scaling

Scaling involves creating a continuum upon

which measured objects are located.

Consider an attitude scale from 1 to 100. Each

respondent is assigned a number from 1 to 100,
with 1 = Extremely Unfavorable, and 100 =
Extremely Favorable. Measurement is the actual
assignment of a number from 1 to 100 to each
respondent. Scaling is the process of placing the
respondents on a continuum on the basis of their
preferences
Scale Characteristics

Description

By description, we mean the unique labels or

descriptors that are used to designate each value
of the scale. All scales possess description.

Order

By order, we mean the relative sizes or positions

of the descriptors. Order is denoted by
descriptors such as greater than, less than, and
equal to.
Scale Characteristics

Distance

The characteristic of distance means that

absolute differences between the scale
descriptors are known and may be expressed in
units.

Origin

The origin characteristic means that the scale has

a unique or fixed beginning or true zero point.
Primary Scales of Measurement
Nominal Scale

• The numbers serve only as labels or tags for

identifying and classifying objects.
• When used for identification, there is a strict one-to-
one correspondence between the numbers and the
objects.
• The numbers do not reflect the amount of the
characteristic possessed by the objects.
Primary Scales of Measurement
Ordinal Scale

• A ranking scale in which numbers are assigned to

objects to indicate the relative extent to which the
objects possess some characteristic.
• Can determine whether an object has more or less of
a characteristic than some other object, but not how
much more or less.
• Any series of numbers can be assigned that preserves
the ordered relationships between the objects.
 Primary Scales of Measurement
Interval Scale

• Numerically equal distances on the scale represent equal

values in the characteristic being measured.
• It permits comparison of the differences between
objects.
• The location of the zero point is not fixed. Both the zero
point and the units of measurement are arbitrary.
 Primary Scales of Measurement
Ratio Scale

• Possesses all the properties of the nominal, ordinal,

and interval scales.

• It has an absolute zero point.

• It is meaningful to compute ratios of scale values.

 A Classification of Scaling Techniques

Scaling Techniques

Comparative Noncomparative
Scales Scales

Paired Rank Constan Semantic

Likert Stapel
Compariso Order t Sum Differentia
n l
 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.
Relative Disadvantages of Comparative Scales

• Ordinal nature of the data

• Inability to generalize beyond the stimulus

objects scaled.
Comparative Scaling Techniques
Paired Comparison Scaling

• A respondent is presented with objects and

asked to select according to some criterion.
• The data obtained are ordinal in nature.
• Paired comparison scaling is the most widely
used comparative scaling technique.
• With n brands, [n(n - 1) /2] paired comparisons
are required.
Paired Comparison Scaling

The most common method of taste testing is paired

comparison. The consumer is asked to sample two different
products and select the one with the most appealing taste.
The test is done in private and a minimum of 1,000
responses is considered an adequate sample. A blind taste
test for a soft drink, where imagery, self-perception and
brand reputation are very important factors in the
consumer’s purchasing decision, may not be a good
indicator of performance in the marketplace. The
introduction of New Coke illustrates this point. New Coke
was heavily favored in blind paired comparison taste tests,
but its introduction was less than successful, because
image plays a major role in the purchase of Coke.

A paired comparison
taste test
Comparative Scaling Techniques
Rank Order Scaling

• Respondents are presented with several objects

simultaneously and asked to order or rank them
according to some criterion.
• It is possible that the respondent may dislike the
brand ranked 1 in an absolute sense.
• Furthermore, rank order scaling also results in
ordinal data.
• 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.
6. Gleem
Ultra Brite _________
_________
5.
7. Sensodyne
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 unimportant, the respondent
assigns it zero points.
• If an attribute is twice as important as some
other attribute, it receives twice as many points.
• The sum of all the points is 100. Hence, the
name of the scale.
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 8 Segment I 2 Segment II 4
Segment III 2 4 17
1. Mildness 3 9 7
2. Lather 53 17 9
3. Shrinkage 9 0 19
4. Price 7 5 9
5. Fragrance 5 3 20
6. Packaging 13 60 15
Sum 100 100 100
7. Moisturizing
8. Cleaning Power
Noncomparative Scaling Techniques

• Respondents evaluate only one object at a time

 Itemized Rating Scales

• The respondents are provided with a scale that has

a number or brief description associated with each
category.

• The categories are ordered in terms of scale

position, and the respondents are required to select
the specified category that best describes the
object being rated.

• The commonly used itemized rating scales are the

Likert, semantic differential, and Stapel scales.
 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 2 3 4 5

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

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

Semantic Differential Scale

The semantic differential is a seven-point rating scale with

end points associated with bipolar labels that have semantic
meaning.
SEARS 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.
• This controls the tendency of some respondents, particularly
those with very positive or very negative attitudes, to mark
the right- or left-hand sides without reading the labels.
• Individual items on a semantic differential scale may be
scored on either a -3 to +3 or a 1 to 7 scale.
A Semantic Differential Scale for Measuring Self-
Concepts, Person Concepts, and Product
Concepts
1) Rugged :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Delicate

2) Excitable :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Calm

3) Uncomfortable :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Comfortable

4) Dominating :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Submissive

5) Thrifty :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Indulgent

6) Pleasant :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Unpleasant

7) Contemporary :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Obsolete

8) Organized :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Unorganized

9) Rational :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Emotional

10) Youthful :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Mature

11) Formal :---:---:---:---:---:---:---: Informal

 Stapel Scale

The Stapel scale is a unipolar rating scale

with different categories without a neutral
point (zero)
Some Unique Rating Scale Configurations

Thermometer Scale
Instructions: Please indicate how much you like McDonald’s hamburgers by
coloring in the thermometer. Start at the bottom and color up to the
temperature level that best indicates how strong your preference is.
Like very 100
much 75
50
25
Dislike 0
very much
Smiling Face Scale
Instructions: Please point to the face that shows how much you like the
Barbie Doll. If you do not like the Barbie Doll at all, you would point to Face 1.
If you liked it very much, you would point to Face 5.

1 2 3 4 5
 Some Commonly Used Scales in
Marketing

CONSTRUC SCALE DESCRIPTORS

T
Attitude Very Bad Bad Neither Bad Nor Good Good Very Good

Importance Not at All Important Not Important Neutral Important Very Important

Satisfaction Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neither Dissat. Nor Satisfied Very Satisfied
Satisfied
Purchase Intent Definitely will Not Buy Probably Will Not Probably Will Definitely Will
Buy Might or Might Not Buy Buy Buy
Purchase Freq Never
Rarely Sometimes Often Very Often