Measurement of Occupational Preferences: A Comparison of Scaling Methods

Abstract

Two direct and one indirect scaling methods were used to construct scales of occupational preferences. The scales constructed by the direct methods of magnitude estimation and ratio estimation were linearly related. The pair comparison scale was found to be a logarithmic function of the magnitude estimation scale and of the ratio estimation scale. This was in line with the results obtained in several previous studies. It was suggested that the logarithmic relation between the pair comparison scale (R-scale) and the magnitude scale (ψ-scale) is due to the model of Case V. Application of Case VI, which is based on the lognormal distribution of subjective magnitudes and Weber's law for subjective continua and yields a logarithmic interval scale of subjective magnitude, would give a linear relation for prothetic continua. For metathetic continua Case V is probably applicable, yielding a linear relation between the indirect and direct scaling.