The problem with your proposed solutions is that omitting missing values
can lower scores, while using the neutral point can "neutralize" them.
One possibility available in the major statistical packages is to average
the nonmissing values rather than to sum them. This corrects for the
presence of missing values.
Bob
--
Robert McGrath, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Psychology T110A, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck NJ 07666
voice: 201-692-2445 fax: 201-692-2304 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
On 30 Jan 2000, Grover Proctor wrote:
> After looking in Osgood, Suci, and Tannenbaum's "The Measurement of Meaning"
> and Snider and Osgood's "Semantic Differential Technique," plus several of
> Osgood's individual articles, I cannot find the answer to this simple
> question:
>
> In scoring the Semantic Differential, does one treat MISSING data (i.e., a
> scale to which a subject failed to give a response) as "null" or do you
> assign it the "middle value" of your scale (i.e, 4 on a 1-to-7 scale, or 0
> in a -3-to-+3 scale)?
>
> Clearly, Osgood hints that if the response is "not applicable" then the
> middle scale is the answer. And NOT having any response (i.e., null)
> distorts the computation of the Osgood D, which is at the center of my
> research.
>
> Has anyone seen anything in the literature, or has your own work delivered
> any insights, which would cast light on this problem?
>
> Thank you for a quick reply, either here or (better) direct to my e-mail
> address!
>
> Grover Proctor
> Dean
> Northwood University
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
>
>
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