Making Sense of
the Social World
4th Edition
Chapter 4: Conceptualization and Measurement
Levels of Measurement
The mathematical precision with which the values of
a variable can be expressed is the level of
measurement.
• The nominal level of measurement, which is
qualitative, has no mathematical interpretation;
• The quantitative levels of measurement—ordinal,
interval, and ratio—are progressively more precise
mathematically.
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Nominal Measures
The nominal level of measurement identifies variables
whose values have no mathematical interpretation; they
vary in kind or quality but not in amount.
In terms of the variable “Dog Breed,” you can say that the
German Shepherd is not equal to the Terrier, but you
cannot say that the “German Shepherd” is “dog breedier”
or “less dog breedy ” than the Terrier.
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Ordinal Measures
At this level, you specify only the order of the cases, in “greater
than” and “less than” distinctions. At the coffee shop, for example,
you might choose between a small, medium, or large cup of
decaf—that’s ordinal measurement.
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Interval Measures


At the interval level of measurement, numbers
represent fixed measurement units but have no
absolute zero point.
Your text uses the example of temperatures
measured with the Fahrenheit scale. The
temperature can definitely go below zero, as
indicated in this weather forecast for Fargo, ND.
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Another good example is seen in an index of
feminist attitudes.
Two women were asked a series of questions that, when their answers were
compiled, an index of their feminist attitudes could be calculated, but the index had
no absolute zero. Still, their scores could be compared.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
(SD =1, D=2, N=3, A=4, SA=5)
1.
A woman should have the same job opportunities as a man.
2.
Men should respect women more than they currently do.
3.
America should pass the Equal Rights Amendment.
4.
Women should be considered as seriously as men as candidates for
the Presidency of the United States.
5.
Doctors need to take women's health concerns more seriously.
6.
Women have been treated unfairly on the basis of their gender
throughout most of human history.
(Adapted from Morgan, Betsy Levonian. 1996. "Putting the Feminism Into Feminism Scales: Introduction of a Liberal Feminist Attitude
and Ideology Scale (LFAIS).” Sex Roles 34 (5–6) 359–390.
Feminist Attitude index = 30 (highest score possible)
Feminist Attitude index = 5 (lowest score possible)
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Ratio Measures

A ratio level of measurement represents fixed
measuring units with an absolute zero point. Zero, in this
situation, means absolutely no amount of whatever the
variable indicates. On a ratio scale, 10 is two points
higher than 8 and is also two times greater than 5. Ratio
numbers can be added and subtracted, and because the
numbers begin at an absolute zero point, they can also
be multiplied and divided (so ratios can be formed
between the numbers).
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Types of Comparisons That Can Be Made
With Different Levels of Measurement
Examples of Appropriate
Relevant level of measurement
comparison statements
math operations
A is equal to (not equal to) B
= (≠)
A is greater than (less than) B
> (<)
A is three more than (less than) B
+ (–)
A is twice (half) as large as B
´
(/)
Chambliss/Schutt, Making Sense of the Social World 4th edition
© 2012 SAGE Publications
Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio
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