In a likert scale can weights be assigned in both ways i.e. from 1 (highly satisfied) to 5 (highly dissatisfied) or from 5 (highly satisfied) to 1 (highly dissatisfied)? Which one of these two is a preferred format?
first is to ask if you are adopting an instrument --- if so, you can simply adopt the scale. if not, you have to conduct pretest of your instrument to get feedbacks from prospective respondent (proxied by your pretest respondent), if indeed you need a 5 point scale. how do we gauge values? normally instrumentation adopts increasing valuation, i.e. 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest). can weights be assigned both ways? nope. direction of relationship will change, and other test parameters will also change. interpretation will be different.
Hello,
Either way is fine. However if using different measures, you indicate problems with higher values, you may consistently do this in this case as well. If there is no point of reference though, then it does not matter. Just pay attention to the direction of associations while conducting the analyses.
regards, Witold
hi,
to go with the logic and easyness of interpretation, it is better to have the larger number to the most positive option. So, the total score for the scale reflects that the higher the score the better the answers {for example, more satisfied, better health ...etc.}
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Social Psychology
- Attitude