Deck 10: Appendix 10: Psychological Measurement

Question 1

Theory or a system of explanation rests upon the condition that

A) unobservable constructs are defined solely in terms of unobservable constructs.
B) there is a strong relationship among the observable constructs.
C) the relation between x and y can be captured with a linear model.
D) at least some of the constructs can be operationalized and measured.
E) observable constructs are defined solely in terms of unobservable constructs.

Answer 1

at least some of the constructs can be operationalized and measured.

Question 2

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) A constitutive definition describes how a construct is to be operationalized.
B) In general, a researcher should start with observable, operational definitions and then proceed to conceptually define the construct or constructs that have been measured.
C) A theory based completely on conceptual definitions of constructs is circular and cannot legitimately be considered a theory.
D) a and b.
E) a, b, and c.

Answer 2

A theory based completely on conceptual definitions of constructs is circular and cannot legitimately be considered a theory.

Question 3

Consider the measurement model: Y₀ = Y_T + Y_S + Y_R. In verbal terms, the model indicates

A) a measurement (Y) at time zero (Y₀) is a function of (Y) at time T (Y_T) plus the change due to the factors Y_S and Y_R.
B) a measurement (Y₀) is a function of the true score plus systematic error.
C) a measurement (Y₀) is a function of the true score plus random error.
D) a measurement (Y₀) is a function of the true score plus systematic error plus random error.
E) a measurement always equals the true score

Answer 3

a measurement (Y₀) is a function of the true score plus systematic error plus random error.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is(are) FALSE?

A) One of the difficulties with the measurement of psychological constructs cannot be seen and directly measured.
B) Conceptual definitions of constructs should precede operational definitions.
C) A construct will be conceptually defined in terms of other constructs in the set.
D) a, b, and c are all false
E) a, b, and c are all true

Question 5

(Use the following information for the next two questions.)
An advertiser has developed a television advertisement designed to create a "feeling of warmth" on the part of viewers since she believes that this will lead to positive attitudes toward the product, and ultimately to increased sales. In order to determine if the ad does produce the desired feelings in viewers, she has devised a three-item scale to measure the warmth construct. After viewing the commercial (independently), Joe had a score of 15 on the warmth scale and Perry had a score of 9.

-Which of the following is NOT a potential source of difference between these scores?

A) true differences with regard to the feeling of warmth created by the ad
B) Perry had a rotten day at work, while Joe had a good day
C) the sampling of items chosen to measure warmth could have contributed to the difference in scores
D) Perry and Joe interpreted one of the questions differently
E) all of the above are potential sources of differences between the scores

Question 6

(Use the following information for the next two questions.)
An advertiser has developed a television advertisement designed to create a "feeling of warmth" on the part of viewers since she believes that this will lead to positive attitudes toward the product, and ultimately to increased sales. In order to determine if the ad does produce the desired feelings in viewers, she has devised a three-item scale to measure the warmth construct. After viewing the commercial (independently), Joe had a score of 15 on the warmth scale and Perry had a score of 9.

-Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) The scale used is likely to be at least as reliable as a ten-item scale since a ten-item scale is more likely to inadvertently tap into constructs other than warmth.
B) If Joe and Perry had viewed the commercial and listened to instruction together at the same time, and then had completed the scales, at least one source of variation might have been greatly reduced.
C) It is possible that Perry's lower score might have resulted from accidentally checking the wrong response.
D) Some relatively stable characteristic of an individual, such as Perry's unwillingness to share the actual intensity of his feelings, might have contributed to the difference in the two scores.
E) Joe did not necessarily have "warmer" feelings toward the ad than Perry.

Question 7

Predictive validity is concerned with

A) the use of a test score to predict some future occurrence.
B) the relationship between the predictive variable and the criterion variable when both are assessed at the same points in time.
C) the relationship between the predictive and criterion variable when they are assessed at different points in time.
D) the use of a test score to predict some simultaneous occurrence.
E) all of the above.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is FALSE with regard to developing a measure that exhibits content validity?

A) The domain of the characteristic must be conceptually defined.
B) The literature can be examined to determine how the variable has been defined and used.
C) The reliability of items drawn from previous research must be assessed to determine the appropriateness of including these old items with the new items being developed.
D) The researcher should formulate a large collection of items that represent the variable as defined.
E) It is important to sample the domain of the construct.

Question 9

KR 20 and coefficient alpha are

A) essentially different measures of internal consistency.
B) computational formulas for a test-retest reliability.
C) essentially very similar except that the former is used with multichotomous items and the latter with dichotomous items.
D) concerned with the stability of a measure.
E) none of the above.

Question 10

Alternate or parallel forms of method of reliability estimation is used by researchers because

A) of the ease of constructing a parallel form.
B) it is not necessary to use the same subjects with both firms.
C) they provide two different independent estimates of reliability.
D) of the problem of possible bias in the test-retest method.
E) it provides a consistent estimate of major inconsistencies in the text.

Question 11

Which of the following is FALSE?

A) Estimates of reliability take into account the systematic and variable errors associated with the use of any measuring instrument.
B) A reliable measure may or may not be valid.
C) If a measure (X_o) is not reliable, it cannot be valid because it must then contain an error item.
D) The stability assessment of the reliability of a measure concerns the extent to which the different instruments applied to the same individuals at the same time yield consistent results.
E) a and d.

Question 12

Split-half reliability as typically applied is a measure of

A) the internal consistency of the scale.
B) relatively stable characteristics of the individual which affect his score.
C) the simultaneous correlations of all the items.
D) stability and equivalence.
E) none of the above.

Question 13

When a researcher is mainly interested in measuring a characteristic which changes rapidly, she will be mainly concerned with what type of reliability assessment?

A) equivalence
B) stability
C) Test-retest
D) a and c above
E) b and c above

Question 14

Which of the following is TRUE?

A) A valid measure is reliable and vice versa.
B) If the random error (X_R) is zero, a measure is both reliable and valid.
C) The evaluation of the reliability of a measuring instrument requires a determination of the consistency of independent but comparable measures of the same individual, group, or situation.
D) a and c.
E) b and c.

Question 15

Which of the following is FALSE?

A) Test-retest reliability is typically measured by the degree to which the scores obtained from the same individuals on two different occasions correlate.
B) If an item lacks correlation with other scale items measuring the same construct there is evidence that the item does not belong and should be deleted.
C) In the development of measures of marketing constructs, it is crucial that the measure be purified before data are initially collected.
D) The assessment of the reliability of a measure is useful in the process of purifying an original set of items.
E) If a set of items all measure the same construct, the responses to the items should be correlated.