I hesitate to chime in here because this subject was discussed at length (great
length) a couple of years ago on this list. But, I can't resist pointing out
that the relevance of scales to statistics is controversial, at least. In a
nutshell, although many psychologists follow my hero S.S. Stevens in
restricting the use of parametric statistics to interval and ratio data,
statisticians do not. And they should know.
don
Donald McBurney Who has dropped the discussion of scales of measurement from
his methods book, which makes it a "bad book" in Dave Bennett's view. ;-)
David Bennett wrote:
> > From: Gerald L. Peterson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Subject: Re: Examples of Interval Scale-
> > useful purpose? I think, either drop this stuff, or devote a chapter to
> > some good discussion of the problem of measurement in psych. BTW, some
>
> I disagree. I teach a course that includes both methodology and statistics.
> The measurement scale used has obvious implications in the type of analysis
> the student performs. They need to learn this.
>
> If you're teaching with a book that doesn't go into the 'problems of
> measurement in psych' you're using a bad book. That is what practically the
> entire course in Methodology is about.
>
> Dave
>
> ===================================================
> David J. Bennett Ph.D. Voice: 617/521-2603
> Department of Psychology Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Simmons College
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