Agree or Disagree? A Critical Analysis of Attitude Measurement Scales

This blog post analyzes two attitude measurement scales: the Likert scale, and Semantic Differential scale for the class Communication 333: Persuasion.

An important part of the field of persuasion is the study of attitudes. Because studying attitudes is of limited use without the ability to measure those attitudes, social scientists developed various attitude measurement scales, which help to categorize and quantify the results of these studies. Several scales have been developed, but this article will analyze only two: the Likert scale and the Semantic Differential scale. These two scales are used frequently in seeking feedback from consumers of products and services, or garnering public opinion on a certain individual or issue. The Likert scale presents a statement or some attitude object, such as: “I felt comfortable and at home in The Morning View Coffee Shop” and is followed by a series of choices ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” Most people have taken a Likert survey at some point.

The Semantic Differential scale is similar in that it presents a series of options, but it is structured a little differently. The scale presents a central thought, idea, product or person: “The Morning View Coffee Shop” and then provides a series of opposite pairings of descriptors, with seven spaces in between each pair. Some examples could be “Cozy… Stiff; Inviting… Unwelcoming; Friendly… Unfriendly; Busy... Slow.” The quiz respondent chooses the space in between that best represents their attitude.

Likert Scale Benefits

Each of these scales has specific strengths and weaknesses, and each scale is best suited for various scenarios. One major benefit of the Likert scale is that is incredibly efficient for quantifying results. Respondents’ answers are easily categorized and translated into statistics or percentages, or analyzed in charts and tables. Likert scales are frequently used to gauge public opinion on current affairs, various issues or political figures. An example would be measuring public attitudes toward the climate change debate.

Likert Scale Criticism

One main constraint of the Likert scale is the limitation of nuanced answers. Some respondents may have mixed feelings about a certain topic or person, or may have more complex attitudes than the Likert scale allows for. Additionally, because of the repetition of the response words, it can be easy for respondents to “tune out” and simply check a box without giving much thought to their answer.

Semantic Differential Benefits

One major advantage of the Semantic Differential scale is that it provides a broader scope of attitude in individuals. By providing bipolar, or opposite, pairs of words, the scale gives more depth than simply “agree/disagree” or somewhere in between. Semantic differential scales can be useful in measuring attitudes toward public figures. It can also be utilized by psychologists to measure responses to certain stimulus words.

Semantic Differential Criticism

One danger of the Semantic Differential scale is the possibility of providing slanted or loaded questions. This may not be done intentionally, but is a risk taken when surveyors designate the pairs of adjectives that make up the survey. Care should be taken to ensure that the bipolar adjective pairs are truly on opposite ends of the spectrum of reply for each stimulus, and allow for the widest range of replies possible.

Incorporating Theories

Two theories or models for studying persuasion and behavior are the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). ELM seeks to describe how attitudes and opinions are developed, and TRA attempts to predict behavior by measuring intention. Both of these theories come into play when measuring the results of either scale. For example, a difficulty often encountered is non-attitudes. Although people want to be perceived as well-informed, educated and intelligent, they often may not know or have an opinion about a certain topic or individual upon which they are being surveyed. In such cases, there is a certain margin of error because they may simply pick an answer that sounds good instead of choosing the response that most accurately portrays their attitude. Both ELM and TRA address the psychological factors that come into play when respondents attempt to portray themselves in a certain way because of social norms, or because of good intentions – the way they would like to be perceived.

Any consumer can benefit from the study of scales of attitude measurement. Knowing some of the persuasion theory models and exploring the body of thought behind these scales has given me more motivation to think a little more deeply before I quickly check a box on a survey, or rush through my answers simply to get to the end. Behind every survey is a social scientist trying to gain a better understanding of consumers, and on a greater scale, the study and science of persuasion itself. I might as well do my part to give them accurate results to work with!