Turning Nominal into Likert -- Refs?

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In summary, the author is doing analysis that has turned Categorical/Nominal data into Likert by conducting surveys asking for the perception of the level of "intensity" of a category. The data is on management support, which is a concept that could be measured in any number of ways and is therefore a categorical variable. The author is thinking of using a Likert scale with several Likert items related to management support.
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WWGD
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Hi All,
I am doing analysis that has turned Categorical/Nominal data into Likert by
conducting surveys asking for the perception of the level of "intensity" of a category.
Example: In a category of management support, the category CIO shows up for meetings
is turned into an interval variable by asking the level of agreement in that regard: ( Do you
believe) 0: Management shows up for meetings 0: Never 1: Very Rarely...7. Always.
I don't have a specific question other than asking for refs for this type of transformation.
Is anyone familiar with it?

Thanks.
 
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  • #2
That isn’t really a transformation, that is just a Likert scale to begin with
 
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Dale said:
That isn’t really a transformation, that is just a Likert scale to begin with

Thanks, Dale. I also have data on management support in several categories, including showing up for meeting, participating in budget development, etc. Is there a way of relating the Likert Analysis for each item to the distribution of the Nominal variable " Management Support"?
 
  • #4
How is “Management Support” measured?
 
  • #5
In 3 Categories:
1)Attends IG meetings, 2)Involved in IS decisions ( Part of Comittee; votes towards decision), 3) Supports Compliance Measures ( Contributes towards funding implementation of compliance)

EDIT: I am thinking more specifically, if I had Boolean data on yes/no for each of these questions, i.e., we have a collection of managers and then they either often support or not. Is there something to be made of the difference between reality ( Boolean; support is either offered or not) and Impression ( Likert) ?

EDIT2: I am also considering effect measurements between variables, FWIW. Example: The effect of accuracy in perception vs another Likert variable called IG Effectiveness. What type of distribution does this difference have?
 
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Ok, so I think that you may be approaching this a little wrong. “Management Support” is not a thing that has some independent existence and by its nature is inherently a categorical variable.

It is a concept that could be measured in any number of ways. Some measurements will produce categorical output and some will produce interval output. Whatever measurement method you choose, that is what type of variable it is.

What you describe sounds like a good Likert scale with several Likert items. I would feel comfortable with this approach.
 
  • #7
Dale said:
Ok, so I think that you may be approaching this a little wrong. “Management Support” is not a thing that has some independent existence and by its nature is inherently a categorical variable.

It is a concept that could be measured in any number of ways. Some measurements will produce categorical output and some will produce interval output. Whatever measurement method you choose, that is what type of variable it is.

What you describe sounds like a good Likert scale with several Likert items. I would feel comfortable with this approach.

Thanks, but this item is given in the analysis and comes from research supposedly the accepted benchmarks. EDIT I can't vouch for it, but for the effects of the analysis, it is offered as the accepted measure.
 
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  • #8
WWGD said:
this item is given in the analysis
Sorry, what does this mean? Do you mean that “Management Support” is listed in the analysis as a categorical variable?

Usually in this type of survey you will have several Likert items, which are individual questions using a Likert rating, and all of these questions are related to the same idea (Management Support). Then the Likert scale for “Management Support” is the sum of the related Likert items. So it is not categorical.
 
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Dale said:
Sorry, what does this mean? Do you mean that “Management Support” is listed in the analysis as a categorical variable?
Opps, my apology! I confused it with another similar one which is a Boolean ( Yes/no), sorry for wasting your time :).
 

FAQ: Turning Nominal into Likert -- Refs?

What is the difference between nominal and Likert scales?

Nominal scales refer to categories that have no inherent order or ranking, such as gender or race. Likert scales, on the other hand, measure attitudes or opinions on a scale with a defined range, typically from strongly agree to strongly disagree.

Why would someone want to turn nominal data into a Likert scale?

Converting nominal data into a Likert scale allows for more precise measurement of attitudes or opinions. It also allows for statistical analysis and comparison between groups.

How do you turn nominal data into a Likert scale?

The process of turning nominal data into a Likert scale involves assigning numerical values to the categories, typically starting from 1 and increasing in increments of 1. These values are then used to create a scale for measuring attitudes or opinions.

Are there any limitations to using Likert scales?

One limitation of Likert scales is that they may not accurately capture the complexity and nuance of attitudes or opinions. Additionally, the interpretation of the scale can be subjective and may vary among individuals.

Can nominal data be converted into a Likert scale for any type of research?

While nominal data can be converted into a Likert scale for many types of research, it may not be appropriate for all situations. It is important to consider the research question and the goals of the study before deciding to use a Likert scale.

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