Definitions and

Measurement Scales
 Definitions
2 types of variables:
Independent Variable (IV): A variable that is
manipulated by the researcher (Example: I
assign you to drink either 1)coffee with caffeine
or 2) decaf)
Dependent Variable (DV): The variable that is
measured to see if the independent variable
had an effect (Example: I measure how alert
you are after you drink the coffee)
Measurement

If a thing exists, it exists in

some amount; and if it exists in
some amount, it can be
measured.
E. L. Thorndike (1914)
 Measurement

If you haven't measured it

you don't know what you
are talking about.
-Lord Kelvin
 Questions

What does it mean to measure a

psychological variable?

What are the different types of

measurement scales and why does the
difference matter?
 Measurement
Measurement is the application of
mathematics to things or events.
A system of measurement is a crucial
component of psychological research.

Simple example: How tall is Jane?

More complex example: How shy is Jane?
Can Psychological Properties be
Measured?

A common complaint: Psychological

variables cant be measured.
But we make judgments about:
who is shy and who isnt
who is angry or happy and who isnt
which relationships are functioning well and
which are not
 Quantification
What are the four different types of
measurement scales and why does the
difference matter?
Measurement properties of variables
determine:
how we quantify the variable
how we graph the variable
how we analyze the variable
 Scales of Measurement:
Nominal Scale
Nominal: Not a measure of quantity.
Measures identity and difference. People
either belong to a group or they do not.
a.k.a. categorical, taxonic, qualitative.
Examples:
Eye color: blue, brown, green, etc.
Biological sex (male or female)
Democrat, republican, green, libertarian, etc.
Married, single, divorced, widowed
 Scales of Measurement:
Nominal Scale
Sometimes numbers are used to designate
category membership.
Example:
Country of Origin
1 = United States 3 = Canada
2 = Mexico 4 = Other
Here, the numbers do not have numeric
implications; they are simply convenient
labels.
 Scales of Measurement:
Ordinal Scale
Ordinal: Designates an ordering: greater than, less than.
Does not assume that the intervals between numbers are
equal.
Example:
finishing place in a race (first place, second place)

1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th place

1 hour 2 hours 3 hours 4 hours 5 hours 6 hours 7 hours 8 hours

 Scales of Measurement:
Ordinal Scale

Ranking is also ordinal:

Example: Rank your food preference where
1 = favorite food and 5 = least favorite:
____ sushi ____ chocolate
____ hamburger ____ papaya
____ lau lau
 Scales of Measurement:
Interval Scale
Interval: designates an equal-interval
ordering.
The difference in temperature between 20
degrees F and 25 degrees F is the same as
the difference between 76 degrees F and 81
degrees F.
Examples: Temperature in Fahrenheit or
Celsius is interval. Common IQ tests are
assumed to use an interval metric.
 Scales of Measurement:
Interval Scale

Likert scale: For each question below.

1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Uncharacteristic
3 = Neutral
4 = Characteristic
5 = Strongly Agree
 Scales of Measurement:
Interval Scale

Likert scale: How do you feel about Stats?

1 = Im totally dreading this class!
2 = Id rather not take this class.
3 = I feel neutral about this class.
4 = Im interested in this class.
5 = Im SO excited to take this class!
 Scales of Measurement:
Ratio Scale
Ratio: designates an equal-interval ordering
with a true zero point (i.e., the zero implies
an absence of the thing being measured).
Examples:
Temperature in Kelvin (Zero is the absence of
heat. Cant get colder).
Measurements of heights of students in this
class (Zero means complete lack of height).
Someone 6 ft tall is twice as tall as someone 3 feet
tall.
 Discrete vs. Continuous
Discrete variables are made up of distinct or
separate units or categories. Cant have a
value between the units.
Examples: number of children in a family,
number of heads or tails, income.
Continuous variables can take on an infinite
number of values.
Examples: height, temperature, amount of
water.
 Summary of Measurement
Scales
Measurement scales differ by how many of these
attributes they have:
Order
Equal intervals between adjacent units
Absolute zero point
Nominal: none
Ordinal: order
Interval: order + equal intervals
Ratio: order + equal intervals + true zero
THE DILEMA WITH SCALES
Ease of Ease of analyses
administration
Nominal Most easy Most difficult

Ordinal
Interval
Ratio Most difficult Most easy
 SCALES AND ANALYSES
Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio
scales scales scales scales

Central tendency Mode Median Arithmetic Arithmetic, Geometric

mean or Harmonic mean

Dispersion Range Interquartile Std. Deviation Std. Deviation

(Max-Min) Range
(Q3-Q1)

Relationship Cross- Rank Correlation, Correlations,

tabulation correlation Regressions Regressions