Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT

evaluate data after collecting them. This means that

we must design a study with the Guttman scaling

technique in mind. Louis Guttman developed the

scale in the 1940s to determine whether there was a

structured relationship among a set of indicators.

He wanted to learn whether multiple indicators

about an issue had an underlying single dimension

or cumulative intensity.^24

To use Guttman scaling, we begin by measur-

ing a set of indicators or items. These can be ques-

tionnaire items, votes, or observed characteristics.

We usually measure three to twenty indicators in a

simple yes/no or present/absent fashion. We select

items for which we believe there could be a logical

relationship among all of them. We place the results

into a Guttman scale chart and next determine

whether there is a hierarchical pattern among items.

After we have the data, we can consider all pos-

sible combinations of responses. For example, we

have three items: whether a child knows (1) her age,

(2) her telephone number, and (3) three local elected

political officials. The little girl could know her age

but no other answer, or all three, or only her age and

telephone number. Three items have eight possible

combinations of answers or patterns of responses

from not knowing any through knowing all three.

There is a mathematical way to compute the num-

ber of combinations (e.g., twenty-three); you can

write down all combinations of yes or no for three

questions and see the eight possibilities.

An application of Guttman scaling known as

scalogram analysisallows us to test whether a pat-

terned hierarchical relationship exists in the data.

We can divide response patterns into scaled items

EXAMPLE BOX 9

Example of Semantic Differential

Please read each pair of adjectives below and then place a mark on the blank space that comes closest to your

first impression feeling. There are no right or wrong answers.

How do you feel about the idea of divorce?

How do you feel about the idea of marriage?

Bad __ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Good
Deep _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ Shallow
Weak __ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _ __ Strong
Fair _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ Unfair
Quiet _ _ _ _ __ __ Loud
Modern __ _ _ _ __ __ __ Traditional
Simple _ _ __ _ ____ _ _ _ Complex
Fast _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Slow
Dirty x ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ Clean

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Bad _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Good
Deep _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Shallow
Weak _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ Strong
Fair _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Unfair
Quiet __ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _ __ Loud
Modern _ _ _ _ __ __ Traditional
Simple _ _ _ ____ _ _ _ Complex
Fast _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ Slow
Dirty _ _ __ __x ___ _ __ Clean

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x