Analysing Thurstone and Likert attitude scales as data collection methods

This article will critically analyse two types of attitude scale as data collection methods. Commonly, measurement of both patients’ and professionals’ assessments of healthcare is based on attitude scales (Cormack, 2000; Bowling, 2002; Parahoo, 2006). There are several methods that have been developed to measure attitudes. However, this article will focus on the Thurstone and Likert methods. In order to give an example of the application of both scales, the relevance of these methods to measure the attitudes of paramedics supporting the suddenly bereaved will be discussed. The author acknowledges that several sources referred to are dated. Nevertheless, they are important primary sources, written when the scales were initially developed.

It is first important to define what an attitude is. Edelmann (2000) and Bowling (2002) both define an attitude as a disposition to evaluate a phenomenon in a particular way. Peoples’ attitudes in the context of psychological research do not wax and wane, they are consistent beliefs and feelings about things (Aranson et al. 1994). Bowling (2002) continues to explain that attitudes are usually evaluated in the context of cognitive, evaluative and behavioural components. These different components may or may not be consistent with each other (Edelmann, 2000).