Chapter 7: Measurement: scaling, reliability, validity

1. What is the measurement level of the following question?

“What is your gross income per month? € ”
a. Non-metric.
b. Interval.
*c. Ratio.
d. None of the above.

2. What is the type of scale of the variable ‘age’ if it is measured in the following way?
“What is your age? ____ years.”
a. Nominal.
b. Ordinal.
c. Interval.
*d. Ratio.

3. What is the measurement level of income, measured in the following way:

“What is your annual gross income?”
< €15.000
€20.000 - €30.000
€30.000 - €45.000
> € 45.000
a. Nominal.
*b. Ordinal.
c. Interval.
d. Ratio.

4. “As the calibration or fine-tuning of a scale increases in sophistication, so does the power of
the scale”. What is therefore the most powerful scale?
a. A nominal scale.
b. An ordinal scale.
c. An interval scale.
*d. A ratio scale.

5. The difference between an ordinal and a ratio scale is that a ratio scale has an arbitrary zero
point.
a. T
*b. F

6. A nominal scale is always dichotomous.

a. T
*b. F

7. Army rank (such as lieutenant, captain, major, colonel, general, etc.) is ordinal in nature.
*a. T
b. F

8. Temperature is usually measured on a ratio scale.

a. T
*b. F
9. With which allows us to calculate a mode and a median, but not a mean?
a. A nominal scale.
*b. An ordinal scale.
c. An interval scale.
d. A ratio scale.

10. Julia stands on a pair of scales three times in a row. The first time she weighs 69 kilo, the
second time 69 kilo, and the third time 69 kilo. Her real weight is 51 kilo. What is the matter
with the scales?
a. The pair of scales is not reliable and not valid.
*b. The pair of scales is reliable but is not valid.
c. The pair of scales is not reliable but is valid.
d. The pair of scales is reliable and valid.

11. Which of the following scales is not a ranking scale?

a. Paired comparison.
b. Forced choice.
c. Comparative scale.
*d. Stapel scale.

12. The following scale is a:

“Ugly __ __ __ __ __ Beautiful”
a. A likert-scale.
*b. A semantic differential scale.
c. A numerical scale.
d. An itemized rating scale.

13. About a scale (set of questions) it can be said that it is if it measures what it
purports to measure.
a. Reliable.
b. Accurate.
*c. Valid.
d. Consistent.

14. Which of the following alternatives is not an example of a rating scale?

*a. Paired comparison.
b. Likert scale.
c. Semantic differential scale.
d. Stapel scale.

15. Interval and ratio variables are also called metric variables.
*a. T
b. F

16. A characteristic of a ratio scale is that it has an absolute zero point.

*a. T
b. F

17. Formally, a Likert scale is _______?

a. A nominal scale.
*b. An ordinal scale.
c. An interval scale.
d. A ratio scale.

18. About a scale (set of questions) it can be said that the indicates how well the
results obtained from the use of the measure fit the theories around which the test is
designed.
a. Content validity.
*b. Construct validity.
c. Criterion-related validity.
d. Stability.

19. The scale type of a moderating variable is nominal.

a. T
*b. F

20. Convergent validity is established when the scores obtained with two different instruments
measuring the same concept are highly correlated.
*a. T
b. F

21. Predictive validity indicates the ability of the measuring instrument to differentiate among
individuals with reference to a future criterion.
*a. T
b. F

22. The internal consistency of measures is indicative of the homogeneity of the items in the
measure that tap the construct.
*a. T
b. F

23. In what way can content validity of a scale be determined?

*a. A panel of experts judges a measuring instrument.
b. When the score obtained by measuring a variable is empirically found to correlate with a
related variable.
c. When the score obtained by measuring a variable is empirically found not to correlate with
an unrelated variable.
d. All of the above.

24. How do we call the following scale type?

“Where in northern California do you reside? __ North Bay
__ South Bay
__ East Bay
__ Peninsula
__ Other“
*a. A category scale.
b. A forced choice scale.
c. A multidimensional scale.
d. A itemized rating scale.

25. Robert stands three times on a pair of scales within a period of 5 minutes. The first time he
 weighs 92 kg, the second time he weighs 102 kg and the third time he weighs 95 kg. His real
weight is 86 kg. What is the matter with the scales?
*a. The pair of scales is not reliable and not valid.
b. The pair of scales is reliable but is not valid.
c. The pair of scales is not reliable but is valid.
d. The pair of scales is reliable and valid.

26. Construct validity is the extent to which experts are of the opinion that an instrument
measures what it is intended to measure.
a. T
*b. F

27. Cronbach’s alpha can only be calculated when we have used interval or ratio scales.
*a. T
b. F

28. Cronbach’s alpha can only be used when a variable is measured through several statements
or items.
*a. T
b. F

29. Stability and consistency are both indicators of the reliability of a measure.
*a. T
b. F

30. Concurrent validity is a form of construct validity.

a. T
*b. F

31. “Rank the following soft-drinks that you would like to buy in the order of preference,
assigning 1 for the most preferred choice and 5 for the least preferred.
Coca Cola
Pepsi
Dr Pepper
Raak
Herschi ”
This is an example of:
a. Paired comparisons.
b. A comparative scale.
*c. A forced choice scale.
d. None of the above answers is correct.

32. In a formative scale, the items (all of them!) are expected to correlate.
a. T
*b. F

33. A formative scale is used when a construct is viewed as an explanatory combination of its
indicators.
*a. T
b. F
34. While it makes sense to test the inter-item consistency of reflective scales, it does not make
sense to test the inter-item consistency of formative scales.
*a. T
b. F

35. The internal consistency of measures is indicative of the homogeneity of the items in the
measure that tap the construct.
*a. T
b. F