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McDaniel & Gates – Marketing Research, 9th Edition Instructor’s Manual

CHAPTER 11

Using Measurement Scales to Build Marketing Effectiveness

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the linkage among attitudes, behavior, and marketing effectiveness.

3. To learn about the various types of attitude scales.

5. To realize the importance of attitude measurement scales in management decision making.

KEY TERMS

Attitude

Scaling

Unidimensional scales

Multidimensional scales

Graphic rating scales

Paired comparison scales

Constant sum scales

Semantic differential scales

Stapel scales

Likert scales

CHAPTER SCAN

This chapter discusses using measurement scales to help understand attitudes, behaviors, and

marketing effectiveness. An attitude is an enduring organization of motivational, emotional,

perceptual, and cognitive processes with respect to some aspect of our environment. It is a

learned predisposition. Behavior is an outward display of attitudes. Because attitudes cannot be

McDaniel & Gates – Marketing Research, 9th Edition Instructor’s Manual

the determinant attitudes.

The term scaling refers to procedures for attempting to determine quantitative measures of

subjective and sometimes abstract concepts. It is defined as a procedure for assigning numbers or

other symbols to properties of an object in order to impart some numerical characteristics to the

CHAPTER OUTLINE

1. Attitudes, Behavior, and Marketing Effectiveness

I. Attitude

A. Attitude Defined

II. Link between Attitudes and Behavior

A. Prediction

B. Identified Links

2. Scaling Defined

I. Scaling

A. ScalingDefined

B. Measurement Tool

3. Attitude Measurement Scales

I. Graphic Rating Scales

McDaniel & Gates – Marketing Research, 9th Edition Instructor’s Manual

A. Graphic Rating Scales Defined

II. Itemized Rating Scales

A. Itemized Rating Scales Defined

III. Traditional One-Stage Format

IV. Two-Stage Format

V. Rank-Order Scales

A. Noncomparative Scales

B. Rank-order Scales

VI. Paired Comparisons

X. Likert Scales

A. Likert Scales Defined

B. Steps in Building the Scale

XI. Purchase Intent Scales

A. Purchase Intent Scales Defined

XII. Scale Conversions

4. Considerations in Selecting a Scale

I. The Nature of the Construct Being Measured

A. Objective of the Research Study

II. Type of Scale

5. Attitude Measures and Management Decision Making

I. Determinant Attitudes

A. Determinant Attitudes Defined

II. Direct Questioning

A. Direct Questions Defined

B. Dual questioning

6. Summary

CHAPTER SUMMARY

1. Attitudes, Behavior and Marketing Effectiveness

I. Attitude

A. Attitude Defined–an enduring organization of motivational, emotional, perceptual, and

1. The more favorable the attitude of consumers, the higher is the incidence of product usage.

3. The attitudes of people who have never tried a product tend to be distributed around the means

in the shape of a normal distribution.

4. When attitudes are based on actually trying and experiencing a product, attitudes predict

behavior quite well. Conversely, when attitudes are based on advertising, attitude behavior

consistency is significantly reduced.

C. Six Factors in Assessing whether Attitude Research Will Predict Behaviors

2. Attitude measurement–the attitude measurement has to be both reliable and valid and at the

same level of abstraction as the measure of behavior.

3. Effects of other people–feelings of other people toward the purchase and the consumer’s

motivation to comply with these feelings can affect prediction of behavior.

4. Situational factors–holidays, time pressures, or sickness, intervene, measured attitudes may

fail to predict behavior well.

5. Effects of other brands–even though a consumer’s attitude toward a brand may be quite

6. Attitude strength–to influence behavior, it must be held with sufficient strength and

conviction to be activated in memory.

2. SCALING DEFINED

I. Scaling

1. Scales–are either unidimensional or multidimensional.

a. Unidimensional–designed to measure only one attribute of a concept, respondent, or object.

b. Multidimensional–based on the premise that a concept, respondent, or object might be better

described using several dimensions.

See Practicing Marketing Research: Comparing the Traditional Likert Scale and

Alternative Slider Scales (p 306)

Survey Sampling International ran a series of surveys designed to examine the differences

between the performances of a “standard” 5-point Likert scale and a Flash-based slider scale.

The two scales were assessed based on data collected, engagement, and respondent satisfaction

with the instrument. The experiment focused on two key ratings issues: equivalency of ratings

and the spaces between ratings. In setting up the experiment, respondents were given a

traditional Likert Scale containing four statements and were asked at the end to rate how well

Questions:

2. Now given the opportunity, would you place your answer somewhere in between its current

position and a position adjacent to it? Why or why not?

3. In answering the previous questions, do you think you have been able to accurately express

your opinions regarding the given statement? Explain.

3. ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT SCALES

1. Advantage of a graphic rating scales–easily constructed and simple to use–enables a

researcher to discern fine distinctions. Graphic rating scales are typically treated as interval data.

2. Disadvantage of graphic rating scales–overly extreme anchors tend to force respondents

toward the middle of the scale.

See Exhibit 11-1 Three Types of Graphic Rating Scales (p 306)

II. Itemized Rating Scales

A. Itemized Rating Scales Defined–similar to graphic rating scales, except that respondents

must select from a limited number of ordered categories rather than placing a checkmark on a

continuous scale. Starting items are rotated on each questionnaire to eliminate the order bias that

might arise from starting with the same item each time.

2. Disadvantages–do not allow for the fine distinctions that can be achieved in a graphic rating

scale

See Exhibit 11.2 Itemized Rating Scales Used in Internet and Mall Surveys (p 308)

See Exhibit 11.3 Selected Itemized Rating Scales (p 309)

III. Traditional One-Stage Format

IV. Two-Stage Format Two-Stage Questions–a researcher can use a two-stage format in order

to measure the most extreme positions. A two-stage format separates the answer choices into two

groups: the key word (e.g., effective, ineffective) and its modifier (e.g., very, somewhat).

V. Rank-Order Scale

A. Noncomparative Scales–the respondent makes a judgment without reference to another

object, concept, or person therefore itemized and graphic scales are noncomparative

B. Rank-Order Scales

1. Comparative scales–the respondent is asked to compare two or more items and rank each

2. Advantages–easy to use and give ordinal measurement of the items evaluated.

3. Disadvantages

a. If all of the alternatives in a respondent’s choice set are not included, the results could be

misleading

b. If the concept being ranked may be completely outside a person’s choice set, thus producing

1. Paired comparisons overcome several problems of traditional rank-order scales

a. It is easier for people to select one item from a set of two than to rank a large set of data

b. The problem of order bias is overcome; there is no pattern in the ordering of items or

questions to create a source of bias

VII. Constant Sum Scales

A. Constant Sum Scales Defined–respondents are required to divide a given number of points,

typically 100, among two or more attributes based on their importance to the person.

1. Number of points allocated to each alternative indicates the rank

See Exhibit 11.6 Constant Sum Scale Used in a Tennis Sportswear Study (p 313)

2. Advantage–the respondent can give two characteristics an equal value

3. Disadvantage–the respondent may have difficulty allocating the points to total 100 if there are

a lot of characteristics or items.

Most researchers recommend that 10 items is the upper limit on a constant sum scale

VIII. Semantic Differential Scales

A. Semantic Differential Scales Defined–measurement tool that examines the strengths and

weaknesses of a concept by having the respondent rank it between dichotomous pairs of words

McDaniel & Gates – Marketing Research, 9th Edition Instructor’s Manual

or phrases that could be used to describe it; the means of the responses are then plotted in a

profile or image.

1. Advantages

2. Disadvantages

a. Lack of standardization

b. Number of divisions on the semantic differential scale also presents a problem. Too few—the

scale lacks meaning; too many—the scale is difficult for responders to discriminate. A 7-point

scale is recommended.

c. Halo effect–the rating of a specific image component may be dominated by the interviewee’s

overall impression of the concept being rated. Bias may be significant if the image is hazy in the

respondent’s mind. To partially counteract the halo effect, the researcher should randomly

reverse scale adjectives so that all the “good” ones are not placed on one side of the scale and the

“bad” ones on the other.

See Exhibit 11.7 Semantic Differential Profile of an Arizona Savings and Loan Association

(p. 313)

See Global Research, Cross-Cultural Segmentation: Accounting for Cross-Cultural

Response Differences When Using Survey Rating Scales (p 314)

Marketers looking to develop a market segment on a global scale must take into account cultural

differences in the way people respond to survey scale questions. While it may vary depending on

the respondent group, three major trends tend to appear in the answers of respondents from

Questions:

1. In what kinds of situations do you think you would need a cross-cultural survey sample?

2. What, if any, weaknesses do you see in the methods described above when dealing with cross-

cultural segments

IX. Stapel Scales

A. Stapel Scales Defined–measurement tools that require the respondent to rate, on a scale

ranging from +5 to -5, how closely and in what direction a descriptor adjective fits a given

concept

B. Advantages

2. Permits finer discrimination in measuring attitudes

B. Disadvantages

1. Descriptor adjectives can be phrased in a positive, neutral, or negative vein and the choice of

phrasing has been shown to affect the scale results

See Exhibit 11.8 Stapel Scale Used to Measure a Retailer’s Web Site (p 315)

X. Likert Scales

A. Likert Scales Defined–measurement tools in which the respondent specifies a level of

agreement or disagreement with statements expressing either a favorable or an unfavorable

attitude toward the concept under study

1. Advantages–respondents are required to consider only one statement at a time, with the scales

running from one extreme to the other

B. Steps in Building the Scale

2. Assemble a large number of statements concerning the public’s sentiments toward the

concept, activity, etc.

4. Pretest, using direction-intensity descriptors such as

a. strongly agree

5. Each response is given a numerical weight ( e.g., 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)

7. The results of the pretest will determine those items that appear to discriminate well between

high and low total scorers

9. Steps 3 through 5 are then repeated in the main study

See Exhibit 11.9 Likert Scales Used by an Internet Game Site (p 317)

See Practicing Marketing Research: To Choose or Not to Choose? Are Choice

Techniques the Right Choice? (p 318)

As marketers are expecting the research industry to deliver results that are predictive of the real

world, choosing the right approach to research projects becomes increasingly important. This is

especially true as the quality of data and collection methods are brought into question as well.

One solution to this problem is to use research methodologies that reflect real world decision-

making processes, specifically by forcing people to make choices.

Questions:

1. In what research situations do you think polls would be less effective? Why?

2. Compared to choice techniques, attribute batteries can be easier to set up and more familiar to

the end users of the research. Do you think this ease of use could be a legitimate reason to choose

attribute batteries over choice techniques?