Why do we measure people's attitude?
Attitude are usually associated with beliefs and it entails evaluation. Attitude helps to predict behavior.
There are many reasons why people are interested in measuring attitudes. Which include the following:
- To identify methods of motivating workers
- To identify the need for modifying or changing policies, procedure or facilities.
- To help in evaluating the effect of different work conditions upon job performance or attitude to work.
- To provide a realistic basis for supervisory training programmes.
METHODS OF MEASURING ATTITUDE
Attitude, unlike behaviour is not observable. It can only be assess. Attitude can be measured by applying two types of instruments
Scale measurement
Questionaire
Scale measurement is referred to as attitudinal scales. The idea is to present a set of statement on a topic, in which some of these statements may be favourable to the issue while some may not be. The respondent is asked to react to the statement by indicating this degree of agreement. Weight in form of marks may be assigned to the statements.
The Questionaire: This is the most widely used instrument for measuring attitudes.
Questionnaire can be structured or unstructured.
The structured questionnaire ask a question and provides several alternative answers. The individual being interviewed is expected to select the most appropriate answer to him from the several possible answers, while unstructured questionnaire asks questions but no answers are provided. It allows a length of response of the interviewee, but the analysis of the response maybe more difficult than that of a structural questionnaire techniques, especially when we are having a large sample.