Deck 10: Scaling and Index Construction

Question 1

Unless respondents answer each item in a scale, the responses must be discarded since there is no way of handling unknowns.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In the Likert procedure the respondents do the work the judges perform in the Thurstone procedure.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The Likert procedure, similar to the Thurstone method, relies upon judges to decide scale items.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

With its insistence upon unidimensionality Guttman scales are superior to other types of attitude scales.

Question 5

It is advisable for researchers to develop their own scales rather than to use already existing ones.

Question 6

Most attitudinal scales used in the social sciences and criminal justice are interval in nature.

Question 7

Scales reflect levels of measurement or various designs of quantitative value that a variable can take on.

Question 8

Q sort methodology is a variation of the Thurstone method in which the respondents themselves sort items.

Question 9

The use of appropriate statistical procedures can assure that one is using adequate indicators for concepts.

Question 10

The Uniform Crime Reports crime index does not permit fair comparisons of different size populations.

Question 11

The Thurstone method of devising attitude scales relies upon judges to select items.

Question 12

The Salient Factor Score is used by the U.S.Parole Commis sion to assess the likelihood of a prisoner's recidivism or parole.

Question 13

The Uniform Crime Reports crime index weighs the seriousness of crimes in constructing the overall index.

Question 14

Crime seriousness scores are assigned to criminal incidents on the basis of scores or weights assigned to descriptions of such incidents by selected groups of respondents.

Question 15

The Uniform Crime Reports is an example of an arbitrary scale.

Question 16

Guttman scaling insists upon 100 percent or exact reproduci bility of the pattern of individual response on the basis of total score.

Question 17

It is best for a researcher to develop their own attitude scales rather than rely upon those developed by others.

Question 18

The forecasts of crime prediction scales are probabilistic or not 100 percent accurate for each score.

Question 19

Likert scales insist upon unidimensionality.

Question 20

A major problem with Likert scales is that on the basis of the total scale score it is impossible to accurately predict the exact endorsement of items.

Question 21

A scaling procedure which insists upon unidimensionality is:

A) Thurstone scale
B) Likert scale
C) Guttman scale
D) Semantic Differential scale

Question 22

A scaling procedure consisting of a seven? or nine?point, bipolar rating scale is a:

A) Q sort
B) Thurstone
C) Likert
D) Semantic Differential

Question 23

Most attitudinal scales used in the social sciences are ordinal in nature.

Question 24

The type of scale which permits the reproduction of response patterns on the basis of total scale score is:

A) Thurstone
B) Likert
C) Guttman
D) Sellin?Wolfgang

Question 25

A scaling procedure in which respondents rather than judges place a series of statements into previously predetermined categories describes:

A) Q sort
B) Likert scale
C) Guttman scale
D) Semantic Differential

Question 26

Guttman scales insist upon unidimensionality.

Question 27

The Guttman method of devising attitude scales relies upon judges to select items.

Question 28

The Machiavellianism scale discussed in the text is an example of which type of scale?

A) Thurstone
B) Likert
C) Guttman
D) Bogardus

Question 29

Rather than develop new, untested scales, researchers would be wise to use handbooks of scales and replicate existing scales.

Question 30

An advantage of the Likert scale is that on the basis of the total scale score one can predict the exact endorsement of items.

Question 31

With its insistence upon unidimensionality, Likert scales are superior to other types of attitude scales.

Question 32

The UCR crime index was described as an example of:

A) arbitrary scale
B) Thurstone scale
C) Likert scale
D) Guttman scale

Question 33

The Sellin?Wolfgang Index is an example of a:

A) crime seriousness scale
B) crime prediction scale
C) crime detection scale
D) secondary analysis

Question 34

Missing items in a Likert scale are handled by:

A) discarding any with missing items
B) assigning highest score value
C) assigning average score value
D) assigning lowest score value

Question 35

Base expectancy tables are employed in:

A) crime seriousness scales
B) crime prediction scales
C) crime detection scales
D) crime prevention scales

Question 36

Simple summated scales consisting of five?point, bipolar response ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree describe:

A) Thurstone scales
B) Likert scales
C) Guttman scales
D) Semantic Differential scales

Question 37

Unknowns in scales can be given the average score of the other items.

Question 38

Likert scaling procedures attempt to produce a(n):

A) nominal scale
B) ordinal scale
C) interval scale
D) ratio scale

Question 39

Replication involves:

A) operationalization
B) coding monitoring
C) repeated measurement
D) reconceptualization of variables

Question 40

Which scaling procedure employs judges in order to select appropriate items?

A) Thurstone
B) Likert
C) Guttman
D) Bogardus

Question 41

is a scaling procedure in which respondents rather than judges place a series of statements into previously predetermined categories.

Question 42

In which type of scales is the notion of reproducibility important?

A) Thurstone
B) Likert
C) Guttman
D) Factor

Question 43

A Likert scale eliminates items that do not between the highest and lowest scores.

Question 44

score has been used by the U.S.Parole Commission since the early 1970s to objectively assess the likelihood of a prisoner's recidivism on parole.

Question 45

are patterns of consistent responses by respondents who appear uninterested in reading all of the items.

Question 46

scales are ones which use judges in order to decide appropriate scale items.

Question 47

What method of data gathering was employed in developing Greenwood's "Rand Seven Factor Index"?

A) existing data
B) self?reports
C) victim surveys
D) observation

Question 48

Salient factor scores are used for:

A) factor analysis
B) parole prediction
C) scaleability
D) item analysis

Question 49

Which type of scale eliminates items which fail to discrimi nate between high and low scorers?

A) Thurstone
B) Likert
C) Guttman
D) Factor

Question 50

What is the purpose of scale and index construction? How useful are these efforts in the area of criminal justice research? What are the relative advantages/disadvantages of scales?

Question 51

Which of the following is used by the U.S.Parole Commission in predicting a prisoner's recidivism on parole?

A) Sellin?Wolfgang scale
B) Bogardus scale
C) Factor Analysis
D) Salient Factor Score

Question 52

Discuss the Uniform Crime Reports as an arbitrary scale. How is the Sellin?Wolfgang index an attempt to adjust for inadequacies in the UCR crime index?

Question 53

scales insist that a scale measure one concept only and that the total score should predict the exact pattern of answers.

Question 54

Discuss the three major attitude scales used in the social sciences.What are their relative advantages/disadvantages?

Question 55

scales consist of a simple summation of usually a 5 point bipolar response ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree.

Question 56

In Guttman scales, the ability of the total score to predict the exact pattern of response is known as:

A) replication
B) reiteration
C) reproducibility
D) retrogradability

Question 57

Which type of scale is referred to as a simple summated rating scale with items ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree?

A) Thurstone
B) Likert
C) Guttman
D) Sellin?Wolfgang

Question 58

is Guttman's notion that a scale should measure one and only one dimension.

Question 59

procedures attempt to develop more complex, composite indicators of phenomena.

Question 60

ROP projects were:

A) studies of recidivism of parolees
B) police programs with repeat offenders
C) rehabilitation of prisoners programs
D) restitution Probation Projects

Question 61

Briefly discuss the prediction scale tradition in criminal justice.

Question 62

What are salient factor scores and what are they used for? Give an example.