Unidimensional scaling / John P. McIver, Edward G. Carmines.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McIver, John P.

Contributor:

Carmines, Edward G.

Series:

Quantitative applications in the social sciences ; no. 07-024.

Sage university papers series. Quantitative applications in the social sciences ; no. 07-024

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Scaling (Social sciences).

Physical Description:

96 pages : graphs ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Beverly Hills : Sage Publications, [1981]

Summary:

Provides an introduction to the fundamentals of scaling theory and construction, focusing on a variety of unidimensional scaling models. The authors present an overview and comparative analysis of such techniques as Thurstone scaling, Likert scaling, Guttman scaling, and unfolding theory, with emphasis on their varying conceptions of dimensionality.

Contents:

Purposes of Scaling 8

Approaches to Scaling 9

Item Trace Lines of Scaling Models 10

Types of Data 11

Multidimensional Versus Unidimensional Models 13

Multiitem Versus Single-Item Scales 15

Chapter 2 Thurstone Scaling 16

The Law of Comparative Judgment 17

Method of Equal-Appearing Intervals 18

Limitations of Thurstone Scaling 21

Chapter 3 Likert Scaling 22

Constructing a Likert Scale 23

Assessing a Likert Scale 26

Criticisms of Likert's Approach 30

An Example of Likert Scaling: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale 31

Chapter 4 An Introduction to Guttman Scaling 40

Assessment of Error 42

Scale Construction 44

Assignment of Scale Scores 51

Guttman Scaling and Item Analysis 53

Senate Voting

The Structure of Support for a Consumer Protection Agency (An Example of Guttman Scaling) 55

Participation in Politics

A Cumulative Scale? 59

Chapter 5 Issues in Guttman Scaling 62

Too Many Respondents/Too Many Items 62

Missing Data 64

Polytomous Items 65

Errors

How To Interpret Them, What To Do About Them 68

Significance Tests for Guttman Scales

A New Approach 69

Chapter 6 Unfolding Theory 71

The Basic Model 71

Unfolding in a Single Dimension 72

Metric Information from Ordinal Data 78

Goodness-of-Fit Criteria 79

An Example

Measuring Cosmopolitanism 81

Trust in Government: A Second Example 83.

Notes:

Bibliography: pages 91-96.

ISBN:

0803917368

OCLC:

7919897