Measurement Scales

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Measurement Scales

• Interval
• Has numerical properties with equal distance
  between each number on the scale but no zero
  point (representing a total absence of the thing
  being measured)
• Example Rating beauty on a scale of 1-10
• Ratio
• Same as the interval scale (equal intervals
  between numbers) except there is a zero point.
• Examples time measures, response rate measures,
  other physical measurements.

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Name the Measurement Scale

• A food critic rates restaurants according to the
  quality of food, service, and atmosphere. She
  assigns 4 forks for excellent, 3 for good, 2 for
  fair, and 1 fork for poor.
• Ordinal
• Researchers have identified styles of leadership
  as relationship-oriented or task-oriented.
• Nominal
• Organizing pictures of your past lovers from
  best sex to worst sex.
• Ordinal
• A Psychological measure of an individuals
  shyness.
• Interval

3
Name the Measurement Scale

• Getting a count of the number of automobiles on
  the highway that were made in Europe, Japan and
  the USA (totals for each group).
• Ratio
• The score you receive on the Beck Depression
  scale (1-18 is not depressed, above 18 is
  depressed).
• Interval
• Deciding if a house style is Victorian, Tudor, or
  Greek Revival.
• Nominal
• Measuring how long it takes someone to drink a
  beer.
• Ratio

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Class Discussion Question

• Page 97 question number 2 (identify the scale of
  measurement in each of the examples)

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General Observational Approaches

• Quantitative approaches
• Emphasize numerical properties of the thing being
  observed.
• Observational results can be statistically
  analyzed.
• Examples
• Hours spent studying
• Ranking of task difficulty
• Percentage of on-task behavior

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General Observational Approaches

• Qualitative approaches
• Emphasizes the nonnumerical aspects of the thing
  being observed.
• Usually consists of descriptive paragraphs.
• Statistical analysis of data in this form is not
  possible.
• Examples
• Diaries
• Film documentaries
• Written summaries of main themes and/or styles
  observed

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Applying the Concepts

• During a previous class period you watched brief
  cartoons and were asked to decide which one
  contained the most violence.
• What did you do that is considered an example of
  the quantitative observation method?
• What would be done differently if I asked you to
  base your decision on a qualitative observation
  method?

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Naturalistic Observation

• The researcher observes and records behavior in
  its natural setting over a period of time in a
  descriptive format.
• A qualitative research method if the data is not
  converted to numbers, if numbers are recorded it
  can become a quantitative method.
• Observations are interpreted and these
  interpretations are confirmed or disconfirmed by
  multiple observations.

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Issues in Naturalistic Observation

• Participation
• Does the observer participate in the setting that
  is being observed and will participation disrupt
  the setting making the observations less
  accurate?
• Concealment
• The purpose of the observation and/or the
  observer is hidden making observations more
  accurate but potentially unethical.
• Scope of observation
• Not everything can be observed so the scope of
  observation is limited by the experimenter and
  this could bias the results.

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Systematic Observation

• Careful observation of specific behaviors in
  specific settings using structured, quantifiable
  methods.
• Observations are not described in paragraph form
  but numerically coded on specially designed data
  sheets.
• Systematic observation results can be analyzed
  statistically.

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Methodological Issues

• Systematic observations can be aided with the use
  of technical equipment (video tape, computers,
  clocks, etc.)
• The use of systematic observational methods may
  influence what is being recorded (reactivity
  problem).
• Reliability of observations can be measured by
  using more than one observer or recording method.
• When all behavior cannot be measured, sampling
  methods are used to get accurate estimates of
  total behavior.

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Case Studies

• Case studies are usually extensive descriptions
  of one individual or organization over a period
  of time.
• Case studies are one form of naturalistic
  observation research
• Case studies are conducted when an individual is
  unusual, has a rare disorder or noteworthy
  condition.
• Case studies provide valuable information that is
  not available in other forms of research.

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Archival Research

• Archival research uses data that was previously
  collected and compiled (usually for other
  reasons) to answer new questions.
• Two problems exist for doing archival research
• The necessary records or documents may be
  difficult to obtain
• The accuracy of information collected by someone
  else is always suspect

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Examples of archival research data

• Statistical Records using US census records to
  study immigration trends.
• Survey Archives using college survey results to
  predict employment trends
• Written and Mass Communication Records using
  soldiers war letters to study the impact of
  combat
• A Content Analysis is the systematic analysis of
  existing documents to answer a research question