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Chapter 6 Measurements of Constructs - Coggle Diagram
Chapter 6 Measurements of Constructs
Conceptualization: This is the process by which a concept that is not clear will be defined in an concrete, clear and precise manner.
Types of conceptualized constructs:
Unidimensional
constructs are those that are expected to have a single underlying dimension. These constructs can be measured using a single measure or test.
Multidimensional
constructs have two or more dimensions.
Operationalization
refers to the process of creating indicators for measuring constructs.
Indicators may be reflective or formative.
A
reflective indicator
is a measure that “reflects” a construct.
A
formative indicator
is a measure that contributes to a construct.
Levels of Measurements:
Nominal scales*
: also called categorical scales, measure categorical data. These scales
are used for variables that have the same traits.
Ordinal scales*
are scales that measure rank-ordered data, such as the ranking of
individuals as first, second, third, and forth.
Interval scales*
: are scales where the values measured are rank-ordered, but are
also have equal attributes.
Ratio scales*
are scales that have all the same qualities of nominal, ordinal, and interval scales,
and also have a “true zero” point.
Binary scales.*
Binary scales are nominal scales that are made up of binary items that have
one of two possible values, such as yes or no, or true or false.
Semantic differential scale.
This is a multiple scale where respondents put their opinions toward a statement using opposites.
Likert scale.
this is a very popular rating scale for measuring ordinal data in social science research. This scale measures "simply-worded statements" that a respondents can mark whether or not they agree to the statement on a five or seven-point scale that will range from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”.
Guttman scale.
this composite scale uses a series of items that are scaled in order from least intense to most intense.
SCALING
: Scales can can be unidimensional and multidimensional and whether or not they are unidimensional or multidimensional depends on whether the construct is unidimensional or multidimensional.
Thurstone’s equal-appearing scaling method.
Louis Thurstone created a method of equal-appearing intervals in 1925. This method starts with a clear conceptual definition of the construct of interest. Based on this definition, potential scale items are generated to measure this construct.
Likert’s summative scaling method.
The Likert method, a unidimensional scaling method developed by Murphy and Likert (1938), is quite possibly the most popular of the three scaling approaches described in this chapter. As with Thurstone’s method, the Likert method also starts with a clear definition of the construct of interest, and using a set of experts to generate about 80 to 100 potential scale items. These items are then rated by judges on a 1 to 5 (or 1 to 7)
Guttman’s cumulative scaling method.
Designed by Guttman (1950), the cumulative scaling method is based on Emory Bogardus’ social distance technique, which assumes that people’s willingness to participate in social relations with other people vary in degrees of intensity, and measures that intensity using a list of items arranged from “least intense” to “most intense”. The idea is that people who agree with one item on this list also agree with all previous items.
Indexes:
Indexes look at measurements from multiple dimensions or even a single dimension from a single construct whereas a scale will measure one thing. A good example of the differences between the two is in the fall semester a graduate course will issue a final exam to measure students’ understanding of that course’s subject matter this would be a scale that measures student’s understanding. A student’s GPA is more indicative of an index because the index will measure the student’s understanding and grades across multiple dimensions.
Typologies:
on the other hand help researchers create categories for the measurements of one or more constructs. The book uses a great example of typologies with categorizing the differences of newspaper’s preferences between foreign and domestic policies