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On the Origin of “Scales of Measurement”

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Sensation and Measurement

Abstract

Stevens proposed that measurement in psychology should employ one of four scales, nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio, each characterized by a mathematical operation that defines the group of which the scale is an example. Isomorphic with the mathematical scale, there is an appropriate psychological operation which if employed warrants the use of the corresponding scale. The development of this proposal is traced.

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© 1974 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht-Holland

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Newman, E.B. (1974). On the Origin of “Scales of Measurement”. In: Moskowitz, H.R., Scharf, B., Stevens, J.C. (eds) Sensation and Measurement. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2245-3_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2245-3_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-2247-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-2245-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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