SCALE CONSTRUCTION
    Bogardus Social Distance Scale
    Thurstone Scales
    Likert Scaling
    Semantic Differential
    Guttman Scaling

    Recall that scales look for and use any intensity structure that may exist among the indicators of the variable.  We'll examine several kinds of scales.

    The Bogardus Social Distance Scale is based on the simple logic that some responses other (lesser) responses.  Thus, if you say you are willing to let me live in your neighborhood, you would be automatically willing to let me live in your city and in your country.  If I know how many of these you approve for me, I will know which ones you approved.

    A Thurstone Scale is created by asking experts to rate the intensity of a great many possible indicators of a variable, with the researcher selecting a pool of indicators which (a) enjoy agreement among experts as to their intensity and (b) include indicators at each level of intensity.

    Likert Scaling uses the questionnaire formats suggested by Rensis Likert: Strong Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree, for example.

    A semantic differential uses pairs of opposite adjectives: liberal and conservative, for example, and asks subjects to make ratings between those two end points.

    Guttman scaling is a technique for determining whether a set of indicators constitute a scale and, if so, how to score them.