Question

Following are brief descriptions of how researchers measured a variable. For each situation, determine the level of measurement of the variable. a. Race or ethnicity. Respondents were asked to check all that apply: Black White Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander Native American Other (Please specify: ____) b. Honesty. Subjects were observed as they passed by a spot where an apparently lost wallet was lying. The wallet contained money and complete identification. Subjects were classified into one of the following categories: _ Returned the wallet with money _ Returned the wallet but kept the money _ Did not return wallet c. Social class. Subjects were asked about their family situation when they were 16 years old. Was their family: _ Very well off compared to other families? _ About average? _ Not so well off? d. Education. Subjects were asked how many years of schooling they had completed. e. Racial integration on campus. Students were observed during lunchtime at the cafeteria for a month. The number of students sitting with students of other races was counted for each meal period. f. Number of children. Subjects were asked: “How many children have you ever had? Please include any that may have passed away.” g. Student seating patterns in classrooms. On the first day of class, instructors noted where each student sat. Seating patterns were remeasured every two weeks until the end of the semester. Each student was classified as same seat as last measurement; adjacent seat; different seat, not adjacent; absent. h. Physicians per capita. The number of physicians was counted in each of 50 cities. The researchers used population data to compute the number of physicians per capita. i. Physical attractiveness. A panel of 10 judges rated each of 50 photos of a mixed-race sample of males and females for physical attractiveness on a scale from 0 to 20, with 20 being the highest score. j. Number of accidents. The number of traffic accidents for each of 20 intersections was recorded. Also, each accident was rated as _ minor damage, no injuries; _ moderate damage, personal injury requiring hospitalization; ___ severe damage and injury.

Name: Problem 5, Chapter 1: The Essentials of Statistics: A Tool for Social Research
Uploaded: 2025-12-28T18:30:27-08:00
Duration: 2 min 47 s
Channel: James Kiss

Following are brief descriptions of how researchers measured a variable. For each situation, determine the level of measurement of the variable.
a. Race or ethnicity. Respondents were asked to check all that apply:
________ Black
________ White
________ Hispanic
________ Asian or Pacific Islander
________ Native American
________ Other (Please specify: ______________)
b. Honesty. Subjects were observed as they passed by a spot where an apparently lost wallet was lying. The wallet contained money and complete identification. Subjects were classified into one of the following categories:
_____ Returned the wallet with money
_____ Returned the wallet but kept the money
_____ Did not return wallet
c. Social class. Subjects were asked about their family situation when they were 16 years old. Was their family:
_____ Very well off compared to other families?
_____ About average?
_____ Not so well off?
d. Education. Subjects were asked how many years of schooling they had completed.
e. Racial integration on campus. Students were observed during lunchtime at the cafeteria for a month. The number of students sitting with students of other races was counted for each meal period.
f. Number of children. Subjects were asked: “How many children have you ever had? Please include any that may have passed away.”
g. Student seating patterns in classrooms. On the first day of class, instructors noted where each student sat. Seating patterns were remeasured every two weeks until the end of the semester. Each student was classified as
____ same seat as last measurement;
____ adjacent seat;
____ different seat, not adjacent;
____ absent.
h. Physicians per capita. The number of physicians was counted in each of 50 cities. The researchers used population data to compute the number of physicians per capita.
i. Physical attractiveness. A panel of 10 judges rated each of 50 photos of a mixed-race sample of males and females for physical attractiveness on a scale from 0 to 20, with 20 being the highest score.
j. Number of accidents. The number of traffic accidents for each of 20 intersections was recorded. Also, each accident was rated as
_____ minor damage, no injuries;
_____ moderate damage, personal injury requiring hospitalization;
_____ severe damage and injury.

The Essentials of Statistics: A Tool for Social Research

Joseph F. Healey 3rd Edition

Chapter 1, Problem 5

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Solved by Expert James Kiss

12/28/2025

Step 1

Race or ethnicity: Nominal level of measurement, as the categories are mutually exclusive and there is no inherent order or ranking. b. Honesty: Ordinal level of measurement, as the categories can be ranked (returning the wallet with money is more honest than Show more…

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Following are brief descriptions of how researchers measured a variable. For each situation, determine the level of measurement of the variable. a. Race or ethnicity. Respondents were asked to check all that apply: ________ Black ________ White ________ Hispanic ________ Asian or Pacific Islander ________ Native American ________ Other (Please specify: ______________) b. Honesty. Subjects were observed as they passed by a spot where an apparently lost wallet was lying. The wallet contained money and complete identification. Subjects were classified into one of the following categories: _____ Returned the wallet with money _____ Returned the wallet but kept the money _____ Did not return wallet c. Social class. Subjects were asked about their family situation when they were 16 years old. Was their family: _____ Very well off compared to other families? _____ About average? _____ Not so well off? d. Education. Subjects were asked how many years of schooling they had completed. e. Racial integration on campus. Students were observed during lunchtime at the cafeteria for a month. The number of students sitting with students of other races was counted for each meal period. f. Number of children. Subjects were asked: “How many children have you ever had? Please include any that may have passed away.” g. Student seating patterns in classrooms. On the first day of class, instructors noted where each student sat. Seating patterns were remeasured every two weeks until the end of the semester. Each student was classified as ____ same seat as last measurement; ____ adjacent seat; ____ different seat, not adjacent; ____ absent. h. Physicians per capita. The number of physicians was counted in each of 50 cities. The researchers used population data to compute the number of physicians per capita. i. Physical attractiveness. A panel of 10 judges rated each of 50 photos of a mixed-race sample of males and females for physical attractiveness on a scale from 0 to 20, with 20 being the highest score. j. Number of accidents. The number of traffic accidents for each of 20 intersections was recorded. Also, each accident was rated as _____ minor damage, no injuries; _____ moderate damage, personal injury requiring hospitalization; _____ severe damage and injury.

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Key Concepts

Ratio Data

Ratio data is the most informative level of measurement, characterized by both equal intervals and a true zero point that indicates the absence of the measured attribute. This allows for a full range of statistical operations, including the computation of meaningful ratios and comparisons.

Interval Data

Interval data is a numerical measure where the difference between values is consistent, allowing for meaningful arithmetic operations such as addition and subtraction. However, interval data lacks a true zero point, which means that ratios between numbers are not meaningful.

Operationalization

Operationalization is the process of defining abstract concepts into measurable variables. This is essential in research as it translates theoretical constructs into practical indicators that can be observed and recorded, ensuring clarity and replicability in how variables are measured.

Nominal Data

Nominal data consists of categories that are solely based on names or labels with no inherent order. Such data are used merely for classification, where the only operation permitted is checking for equality, making it ideal for grouping or counting occurrences without imposing any order.

Levels of Measurement

This concept refers to the different ways that variables can be quantified and categorized in research, typically including nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio levels. Each level determines the types of statistical analyses that are appropriate and how one can interpret differences or similarities between data points.

Ordinal Data

Ordinal data involves categories with a meaningful order or ranking but where the intervals between the ranks are not necessarily consistent or measurable. This level of measurement allows researchers to establish a relative order among data points while not assuming equal gaps between them.

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