978-0135078228 Chapter 7 Solution Manual Part 1

ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. List each of the three basic question-response formats. Indicate the two variations for

each one, and provide an example for each.

The answers are contained in the following table.

Format type Variation(s) Example

2. What is measurement? In your answer, differentiate an object from its properties,

both objective and subjective.

Measurement is defined as determining the description or amount of some element

of interest to the researcher. One measures the “properties,” or specific features or

characteristics of an object that can be used to distinguish it from another object.

3. Discuss the meaning of an operational definition. How does a researcher use an

operational definition? Provide an example of the operational definition for each of

the following:

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a. Likelihood of buying car X

Likelihood can be a probability or the changes of doing something in the

b. Media habits such as reading the newspaper

Depending on the objectives of the research, the operational definition might

be what section of the paper is read.

c. Attitude toward global warming

Please indicate the degree to which you agree with each of the following

statements:

Statement

Strongly

Disagree

Disagree Neither

Disagree

nor Agree

Agree Strongly

Agree

I am worried about

global warming.

We should use

alternative fuels to

lessen global

warming.

4. How does reliability differ from validity? In your answer, define each term.

A reliable scale is one in which a respondent responds in the same or in a very

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5. What is meant by the “level of measurement”? Identify and define the two levels of

measurement described in this chapter.

When a researcher specifies an operational definition for the measurement of a

property of a construct, he/she explicitly identifies the response scale’s level of

6. Distinguish a synthetic number scale from a synthetic label scale. What do these two

types of scales have in common, and how do they differ?

A synthetic number metric scale is one where the researcher uses a number range

such as 1–5, 1–7, 1–10, and so forth. A synthetic number only has meaning in the

7. Answer the following question: “Why is it important for a researcher to know the

level of a scale that he or she uses to measure a property of a construct of interest?”

The choice of the level of measurement for a scale affects which analyses should or

8. Distinguish a symmetric synthetic scale from a nonsymmetric synthetic scale. Provide

an example of each of these types of scales.

A symmetric scale has equal amounts of positive and negative positions. However, a

9. Explain what is meant by a continuum along which a subjective property of an object

can be measured.

Many scales are designed to measure psychological properties that exist on a

10. What are the arguments for and against the inclusion of a neutral response position

in a symmetric scale?

A neutral point is not considered zero or an origin; instead, it is considered a

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11. Distinguish among a modified Likert scale, a semantic differential scale, and a Stapel

scale.

The modified Likert scale uses degrees of agreement and disagreement (strongly

12. What is the halo effect, and when and how does a researcher control for it?

The halo effect is a general feeling about a store or brand that can bias a respondent’s

impression on its specific properties because the respondent does not read the specific

13. What consideration should be foremost in a researcher’s decision to use a

symmetric synthetic rating scale versus a nonsymmetric one?

Ideally, when a synthetic scale is used in a survey, the researcher wants respondents to

use all of the scale positions, meaning that for any one question, the responses should

14. Distinguish among a one-way labeled scale and an n-point scale.

A one-way labeled scale is one where the researcher is measuring some construct

attribute with the use of labels that restrict the measure to the “positive” side. The

15. What is an “anchor” and how does an anchor give a context to an n-point scale?

The anchored n-point scale is one where a word is associated with the “1” and the

“n” points on the scale. The anchors are important as they tell the respondent the

ANSWERS TO APPLICATIONS QUESTIONS

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16. Mike, the owner of Mike’s Market, which is a convenience store, is concerned about

low sales. He reads in a marketing textbook that the image of a store often has an

impact on its ability to attract its target market. He contacts the All-Right Research

Company and commissions you, a marketing researcher, to conduct a study that will

shape his store’s image. You are charged with the responsibility of developing the

store-image part of the questionnaire.

Design a semantic differential scale that will measure the relevant aspects of the

market’s image. In your work on this scale, you must do the following: (a) brainstorm

a. Possible store properties— location, checkout speed, value for the price,

b. The bipolar adjectives should appear thusly—inconvenient location—

c. Usually, 5- or 7-scale points are customary. If the respondents are unfamiliar

17. Each of the following examples involves a market researcher’s need to measure some

construct. Devise an appropriate scale for each one. Defend the scale in terms of its

level of measurement and use or nonuse of a “no opinion” or neutral response

category.

a. Mattel wants to know how preschool children react to a sing-along video

game in which the child must sing along with an animated character and

guess the next word in the song at various points in the video.

b. TCBY is testing five new flavors of yogurt and wants to know how its

customers rate each one on sweetness, flavor strength, and richness of taste.

TCBY needs evaluations on three subjective properties based on taste tests of

each yogurt flavor. Considerations include the following: There is no need for

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Here is an example of the sweetness scale:

c. A pharmaceutical company wants to find out how much a new federal law

eliminating dispensing of free sample prescription drugs by doctors will affect

their intentions to prescribe generic versus brand-name drugs for their

patients.

This is an instance of measuring intentions so a 0 percent to 100 percent

The modified Likert scale is also acceptable, for example:

18. Harley-Davidson is the largest American motorcycle manufacturer, and it has been in

business for several decades. Harley-Davidson has expanded into “signature”

products such as shirts that prominently display the Harley-Davidson logo. Some

people have a negative image of Harley-Davidson because it was the motorcycle

favored by the Hell’s Angels and other motorcycle gangs. There are two research

questions here. First, do consumers have a negative feeling toward Harley-Davidson,

and, second, are they disinclined toward the purchase of Harley-Davidson

signature products such as shirts, belts, boots, jackets, sweatshirts, lighters, and key

chains? Design a Likert measurement scale that can he used in a nationwide

telephone study to address these two issues.

The task is for students to design a modified Likert scale amenable to telephone

(INTERVIEWER: READ) “I have a list of statements that I will read to you. As I

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Are the instructions clear? (IF NOT, REPEAT)

INTERVIEWER: READ EACH STATEMENT. WITH EACH RESPONSE, ASK,

“Would you say that you STRONGLY (dis)agree or SOMEWHAT (dis)agree?”

RESPONSE (CIRCLE)

SOME- SOME-

STRONGLY WHAT WHAT STRONGLY

STATEMENT AGREE AGREE NEUTRAL DISAGREE DISAGREE

_________________________________________________________________

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A different approach is to read off all the response alternatives to the respondent. It would

look something like this:

19. Family Dollar store believes it has a niche market, and that its image in the minds of its

customers is the following: a self-service store with bargain prices and no sales hassles but

with reasonably fast checkout and for household and clothing items that are functional.

Construct a Stapel scale approach that would measure Family Dollar’s image to determine

the extent to which customers have an opinion consistent with Family Dollar’s belief.

The Stapel scale is has a +/- number format. Here is an example of how this scale can be used

Indicate your opinion of Family Dollar store by circling the appropriate number. A high

Bargains Checkout speed Sales hassles Functional

merchandise

-3

20. Pick any fast food chain (McDonald’s, KFC, etc.) and construct a scale that measures the

performance of that chain’s units. Use a one-way labeled scale that measures the chain on at

least five performance attributes that you think are relevant. Be sure to include any

instructions for the respondents.

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Please rate (insert fast-food chain name here) by circling the appropriate word for each

characteristic.

Characteristic Your Rating

Poor Fair Good Very Good

21. Check in your library’s catalog for one of the handbooks mentioned in this chapter on

marketing scales. Find a scale, and describe the construct the scale measures and show the

scale items used to measure the construct. Also describe any measures of the reliability and

validity of the scale as reported in the handbook.

The handbooks are listed in Marketing Research Application 7.1. Instructors should check

with their librarians to see if these resources are available. A back-up is to use Gordon

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