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An Assessment of Ratio Scales of Opinion Produced by Sensory-Modality Matching

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Abstract

The validity and potential usefulness of ratio scales of opinion are assessed by looking at some of the parallels that exist between these scales and those obtained by ratio scaling in psychophysics. Several experiments show that opinion scales can be validated by means of two or more sensory-modality matches. In addition, inverse opinion scales and scales for individual subjects are examined. The results show that ratio scales of opinion have many of the characteristics of sensory ratio scales. Preliminary efforts have been made to use sensory-modality scales in verbal learning, psycholinguistics, and with children.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Notre Dame, USA

    William E. Dawson

Authors
  1. William E. Dawson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Army Natick Laboratories, Natick, Massachusetts, USA, 01760

    Howard R. Moskowitz (Research Psychologist) (Research Psychologist)

  2. Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 02115

    Bertram Scharf (Professor of Psychology) (Professor of Psychology)

  3. John B. Pierce Foundation Laboratory, USA

    Joseph C. Stevens (Fellow, Research Associate and Lecturer in Psychology) (Fellow, Research Associate and Lecturer in Psychology)

  4. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, 06519

    Joseph C. Stevens (Fellow, Research Associate and Lecturer in Psychology) (Fellow, Research Associate and Lecturer in Psychology)

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© 1974 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht-Holland

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Dawson, W.E. (1974). An Assessment of Ratio Scales of Opinion Produced by Sensory-Modality Matching. In: Moskowitz, H.R., Scharf, B., Stevens, J.C. (eds) Sensation and Measurement. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2245-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2245-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-2247-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-2245-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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