Attitude Scales Measurements Lecture & Seminar

What is An Attitude?

What is An Attitude? An enduring disposition to consistently respond in a given manner to various aspects of the world displaypixs.blogspot.com

Components of attitudes: Affective The feelings or emotions toward an object www.wallpapersonly.net

Components of attitudes: Cognitive Knowledge and beliefs about an object www.the-principal.com

Components of attitudes: Behavioral Predisposition to action, intentions & behavioral expectations yoursuperawesomelife.com

Attitudes as Hypothetical Constructs Common constructs: Job satisfaction Organizational commitment Personal values Feelings Role stress

Techniques for Measuring Attitudes Ranking Rating Sorting Choice Ranking Requiring the respondent to rank order objects in overall performance on the basis of a characteristic or stimulus. Rating Asking the respondent to estimate the magnitude of a characteristic, or quality, that an object possesses by indicating on a scale where he or she would rate an object. Sorting Presenting the respondent with several concepts typed on cards and requiring the respondent to arrange the cards into a number of piles or otherwise classify the concepts. Choice Asking a respondent to choose one alternative from among several alternatives; it is assumed that the chosen alternative is preferred over the others.

Attitude Rating Scales Simple Attitude Scale THE PRESIDENT SHOULD RUN FOR RE-ELECTION _______ AGREE ______ DISAGREE Requires that an individual agree/disagree with a statement or respond to a single question. This type of self-rating scale classifies respondents into one of two categories (e.g., yes or no).

Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d) Category Scale How important were the following in your decision to visit San Diego? (check one for each item) VERY SOMEWHAT NOT TOO IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT CLIMATE ___________ ___________ ___________ COST OF TRAVEL ___________ ___________ ___________ FAMILY ORIENTED ___________ ___________ ___________ EDUCATIONAL/HISTORICAL ASPECTS ___________ ___________ ___________ FAMILIARITY WITH AREA ___________ ___________ ___________ A more sensitive measure than a simple scale in that it can have more than two response categories. Question construction is an extremely important factor in increasing the usefulness of these scales.

Likert Scale Items for Measuring Attitudes toward Patients’ Interaction with a Physician’s Service Staff

Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d) Method of Summated Ratings: Likert Scale It is more fun to play a tough, competitive tennis match than to play an easy one. ___Strongly Agree ___Agree ___Not Sure ___Disagree ___Strongly Disagree A popular means for measuring attitudes. Respondents indicate their own attitudes by checking how strongly they agree or disagree with statements. Typical response alternatives: “strongly agree,” “agree,” “uncertain,” “disagree,” and “strongly disagree.”

Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d) Semantic Differential Exciting ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Calm Interesting ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Dull Simple ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Complex Passive ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ : ___ Active A series of seven-point rating scales with bipolar adjectives, such as “good” and “bad,” anchoring the ends (or poles) of the scale. A weight is assigned to each position on the scale. Traditionally, scores are 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, or +3, +2, +1, 0, -1, -2, -3. A weight is assigned to each position on the scale.

Other Scale Types (cont’d) Image Profile Image Profile of Private versus Public High Schools A graphic representation of semantic differential data for competing brands, products, or stores to highlight comparisons. Because the data are assumed to be interval, either the arithmetic mean or the median will be used to compare the profile of one product, brand, or store with that of a competing product, brand, or store.

Attitude Rating Scales (cont’d) Numerical Scales Now that you’ve had your automobile for about one year, please tell us how satisfied you are with your Ford Taurus. Extremely Dissatisfied 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Extremely Satisfied Scales that have numbers as response options, rather than “semantic space” or verbal descriptions, to identify categories (response positions). In practice, researchers have found that a scale with numerical labels for intermediate points on the scale is as effective a measure as the true semantic differential

Other Scale Types (cont’d) Constant-Sum Scale Divide 100 points among each of the following brands according to your preference for the brand: Brand A _________ Brand B _________ Brand C _________ 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 a rating task (e.g., indicating brand preference).

Other Scale Types (cont’d) Graphic Rating Scale A measure of attitude that allows respondents to rate an object by choosing any point along a graphic continuum. Advantage: Allows the researcher to choose any interval desired for scoring purposes. Disadvantage: There are no standard answers. http://facultyweb.berry.edu/nmiller/classinfo/323/2.2/graphic_vs_itemized.htm

Measuring Behavioral Intention Behavioral Component The behavioral expectations (expected future actions) of an individual toward an attitudinal object. How likely is it that you will purchase a Honda Fit? I definitely will buy I probably will buy I might buy I probably will not buy I definitely will not buy

Measuring Behavioral Intention Behavioral Differential A 25 year-old woman sales representative Would ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Would Not ask this person for advice. rating scale instrument similar to a semantic differential, developed to measure the behavioral intentions of subjects toward future actions. A description of the object to be judged is placed on the top of a sheet, and the subjects indicate their behavioral intentions toward this object on a series of scales.

Summary of Advantages and Disadvantages of Rating Scales

Selecting a Measurement Scale Some Practical Questions: Is a ranking, sorting, rating, or choice technique best? Should a monadic or a comparative scale be used? What type of category labels, if any, will be used for the rating scale? How many scale categories or response positions are needed to accurately measure an attitude? Should a balanced or unbalanced rating scale be chosen? Should an even or odd number of response categories be provided? Should a scale that forces a choice among predetermined options be used? Should a single measure or an index measure be used?

R & R: Describe how business researchers think of attitudes Identify basic approaches to measuring attitudes Discuss the use of rating scales for measuring attitudes Summarize ways to measure attitudes with ranking and sorting techniques Discuss major issues involved in the selection of a measurement scale