Likert scale: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:51, 15 February 2025

A psychometric scale commonly used in questionnaires

Likert Scale[edit]

A Likert scale is a psychometric scale commonly involved in research that employs questionnaires. It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in survey research, such that the term is often used interchangeably with rating scale, although there are other types of rating scales.

History[edit]

The Likert scale was developed by Rensis Likert, an American psychologist, in 1932. Likert devised the scale as a means of measuring attitudes by asking people to respond to a series of statements about a topic, in terms of the extent to which they agree with them, and so tapping into the cognitive and affective components of attitudes.

Structure[edit]

A typical Likert scale is composed of a series of statements, each of which the respondent is asked to evaluate according to any kind of subjective or objective criteria; generally, the level of agreement or disagreement is measured. The scale is named after its inventor, Rensis Likert.

The format of a typical five-level Likert item is:

Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
Agree
Strongly agree

Usage[edit]

Likert scales are used in a wide variety of settings, including psychology, sociology, business, and education. They are particularly useful in measuring attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. The data obtained from Likert scales are often used in statistical analysis to determine trends and patterns.

Analysis[edit]

The data from Likert scales are typically treated as ordinal data, which means that while the order of the responses is meaningful, the intervals between them are not necessarily equal. However, many researchers treat Likert scale data as interval data for the purposes of statistical analysis, using techniques such as mean and standard deviation.

Advantages and Disadvantages[edit]

Advantages[edit]

Easy to construct and administer.
Provides a simple way to gauge opinions and attitudes.
Can be used to collect data from large samples.

Disadvantages[edit]

May not capture the full range of opinions.
Assumes equal intervals between response options.
Can be subject to response bias.

Related pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Likert scale''' is a type of [[psychometric scale]] commonly involved in research that employs [[questionnaire]]s. It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in survey research, such that the term ([[Likert scale]]) is often used interchangeably with [[rating scale]], although there are other types of rating scales.
+{{Short description|A psychometric scale commonly used in questionnaires}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
-The scale is named after [[Rensis Likert]], who published a report describing its use. Likert distinguished between a scale proper, which emerges from collective responses to a set of items (usually eight or more), and the format in which responses are scored along a range.
+== Likert Scale ==
+[[File:Example Likert Scale.svg|thumb|right|Example of a Likert scale]]
+A '''Likert scale''' is a psychometric scale commonly involved in research that employs questionnaires. It is the most widely used approach to scaling responses in survey research, such that the term is often used interchangeably with [[rating scale]], although there are other types of rating scales.
-==History==
+== History ==
-[[Rensis Likert]], a [[psychologist]], invented the Likert scale during his studies of human attitudes. The first time it was used was in his 1932 thesis, "A Technique for the Measurement of Attitudes."
+The Likert scale was developed by [[Rensis Likert]], an American [[psychologist]], in 1932. Likert devised the scale as a means of measuring attitudes by asking people to respond to a series of statements about a topic, in terms of the extent to which they agree with them, and so tapping into the [[cognitive]] and [[affective]] components of attitudes.
-==Format==
+== Structure ==
-A Likert scale assumes that the strength/intensity of an attitude is linear, i.e., on a continuum from strongly agree to strongly disagree, and makes the assumption that attitudes can be measured. Respondents may be offered a choice of five to seven or even nine pre-coded responses with the neutral point being neither agree nor disagree.
+A typical Likert scale is composed of a series of statements, each of which the respondent is asked to evaluate according to any kind of subjective or objective criteria; generally, the level of agreement or disagreement is measured. The scale is named after its inventor, [[Rensis Likert]].
-==Scoring and analysis==
+The format of a typical five-level Likert item is:
-The traditional way to report on a Likert scale is to sum the scores for each respondent. The problem with this approach is that it assumes the 'distance' from each point to the next is equivalent, also from strongly disagree to disagree may not be the same as from neutral to agree.
-==Criticism==
+* Strongly disagree
-The Likert scale has been criticized on several grounds. The words and phrases used can be interpreted differently by different people. It also assumes that the 'distance' between each response is the same.
+* Disagree
+* Neither agree nor disagree
+* Agree
+* Strongly agree
-==See also==
+== Usage ==
-* [[Guttman scale]]
+Likert scales are used in a wide variety of settings, including [[psychology]], [[sociology]], [[business]], and [[education]]. They are particularly useful in measuring attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. The data obtained from Likert scales are often used in [[statistical analysis]] to determine trends and patterns.
-* [[Semantic differential]]
-* [[Thurstone scale]]
-==References==
+== Analysis ==
-<references />
+[[File:Example Likert Scale.svg|thumb|left|Another view of a Likert scale]]
+The data from Likert scales are typically treated as [[ordinal data]], which means that while the order of the responses is meaningful, the intervals between them are not necessarily equal. However, many researchers treat Likert scale data as [[interval data]] for the purposes of statistical analysis, using techniques such as [[mean]] and [[standard deviation]].
+== Advantages and Disadvantages ==
+=== Advantages ===
+* Easy to construct and administer.
+* Provides a simple way to gauge opinions and attitudes.
+* Can be used to collect data from large samples.
+=== Disadvantages ===
+* May not capture the full range of opinions.
+* Assumes equal intervals between response options.
+* Can be subject to [[response bias]].
+== Related pages ==
+* [[Survey methodology]]
+* [[Questionnaire]]
+* [[Psychometrics]]
+* [[Rating scale]]
 [[Category:Psychometrics]]
-[[Category:Scaling (statistics)]]
 [[Category:Survey methodology]]
-{{stub}}