Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Do standard scales work in older samples?

  • Published:
Marketing Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In a study of 185 adults ranging in age from 21 to 80 years, it was found that the older subjects' (ages 50 and above) responses on Zaichkowsky's ten-item, bipolar adjective, semantic differential, Personal Involvement Inventory were less internally consistent than the younger participants' responses. In addition to lower reliability, the older adults were more likely to omit multiple items in the scale. This was not the case for Likert-style items included in the study. Similar findings have been reported in a small number of other studies using other semantic differential scales. The semantic differential scaling technique needs a thorough examination for its generalizability to older populations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cadotte, Ernest R., R. B. Woodruff, and R. L. Jenkins. (1987). “Expectations and Norms in Models of Consumer Satisfaction,”Journal of Marketing Research 24 (August), 305–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Celuch, Kevin, and Richard Evans. (1989). “An Analysis of the Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Personal Involvement Inventory and the Consumer Involvement Profile,”Psychological Reports 15, 1291–1297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Childers, Terry L. (1986). “Assessment of the Psychometric Properties of an Opinion Leadership Scale,”Journal of Marketing Research 23 (May), 184–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drevenstedt, Jean. (1975). “Scale Checking Styles on the Semantic Differential Among Older People,”Journal of Gerontology 30:2, 170–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, Ronald E., and Charles Hofacker. (1991). “Measuring Consumer Innovativeness,”Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 19 (Summer), 209–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heise, David R. (1969). “Some Methodological Issues in Semantic Differential Research.”Psychological Bulletin 72:6, 406–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jain, Kapil, and Narasimhan Srinivasan. (1989). “An Empirical Assessment of Multiple Operationalizations of Involvement.” InAdvances in Consumer Research, Vol. 17, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, 594–602.

    Google Scholar 

  • John, Deborah Roedder, and Catherine A. Cole. (1986). “Age Differences in Information Processing: Understanding Deficits in Young and Elderly Consumers,”Journal of Consumer Research 13:3, 297–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, Charles W., and John O. Summers. (1970). “Overlap of Opinion Leadership Across Consumer Product Categories,”Journal of Marketing Research 7 (February), 43–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mindak, William A. (1961). “Fitting the Semantic Differential to the Marketing Problem,”Journal of Marketing (April), 28–33.

  • Munson, J. Michael, and Edward F. McQuarrie. (1987). “The Factorial and Predictive Validities of a Revised Measure of Zaichkowsky's Personal Involvement Inventory,”Educational and Psychological Measurement 47, 773–782.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohanian, Roobina. (1990). “Construction and Validation of a Scale to Measure Celebrity Endorsers' Perceived Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Attractiveness,”Journal of Advertising 19:3, 39–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osgood, C. E., G. J. Suci, and P. H. Tannenbaum. (1957).The Measurement of Meaning. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, Lynn W., and Brian Sternthal. (1977). “Age Differences in Information Processing: A Perspective on the Aged Customer,”Journal of Marketing Research 24:4, 444–457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid, David W., Gwen Haas, and Douglas Hawkings. (1977). “Locus of Control and Positive Self-Concept in the Elderly,”Journal of Gerontology 32:4, 441–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stukovsky, Robert C., and Miroslav Palat. (1988). “Concept Reliabilities in a Clinical Semantic Differential,”Studia Psychologica 30 (4), 291–299.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaichkowsky, Judith Lynne. (1987). “The Personal Involvement Inventory: Reduction, Revision and Application to Advertising,” Working Paper, Simon Fraser University.

  • Zaichkowsky, Judith Lynne, and James H. Sood. (1988). “A Global Look at Consumer Involvement and Use of Products,”International Marketing Review 6:1, 20–34.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Business, Florida State University, 32306-1042, Tallahassee, FL

    Leisa Reinecke Flynn

Authors
  1. Leisa Reinecke Flynn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Leisa Reinecke Flynn is assistant Professor of Marketing at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. She wishes to thank Drs. Ronald E. Goldsmith and Charles Hofacker for their helpful insights.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Flynn, L.R. Do standard scales work in older samples?. Marketing Letters 4, 127–137 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994071

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994071

Key words

Search

Navigation