Scale Development in Human and Social Sciences: A Philosophical Perspective

Abstract

Explanation of human and social phenomena is often formulated using unobservable constructs, otherwise known as latent constructs. In this context, latent constructs are broadly understood as latent characteristics. Formally, latent constructs are interpreted as latent variables that influence the behavior of observed variables (items). Latent constructs are identified through measurement instruments, which are tested in specific samples using measurement models, representing the relationship between the latent variable and the items. Depending on the methodological guidelines that are followed during the development of measurement instruments, these measurement models will be tested using factor analytic techniques such as exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Historically, these techniques have been surrounded by various controversies and have generated their share of confusion. This chapter explores the conceptual and philosophical issues related to scale development in human and social science research and discusses the main problems associated with these techniques.