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Measure twice and cut once: the carpenter’s rule still applies

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  • Wagner Kamakura

Abstract

In a lead article published by the Journal of Marketing Research in 2007, Bergkvist and Rossiter (Journal of Marketing Research 44:175–84, 2007 ) recommend that “for the many constructs in marketing that consist of a concrete singular object and a concrete attribute, such as A Ad or A Brand , single-item measures should be used (page 175).” This conclusion is based on empirical analyses correlating single-item and multiple-item scales measuring attitudes towards advertisements and the advertised brands, collected simultaneously in a single survey instrument. Finding no statistically significant differences between the correlations obtained with the single and multiple items, the authors conclude that there is no loss in predictive validity with the use of single items, which is the basis for their recommendation. Obviously, their recommendation produces substantial savings in data-gathering costs. Consequently, their article has been highly cited (over 600 cites as of September 2013), by authors justifying their use of single-item measures. In this note, I revisit well-known concepts of psychometric theory to demonstrate that this practice is ill-advised. First, I argue that repeated measures are necessary not only to improve the validity of some measurement instruments but also, more importantly, to make it possible to assess and correct measurement instruments for random (non-systematic) measurement errors. Second, I argue that rather than testing for predictive validity, the authors actually tested for concurrent validity, using a common survey instrument, thereby confounding their results with spurious correlations due to common-methods biases. Third, I conduct a true predictive validity test using two attitudinal scales and consumption behavior as a predictive criterion to show that, once corrected for measurement errors, multiple-item scales consistently outperform their single-item equivalents. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Wagner Kamakura, 2015. "Measure twice and cut once: the carpenter’s rule still applies," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 237-243, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:mktlet:v:26:y:2015:i:3:p:237-243
    DOI: 10.1007/s11002-014-9298-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simmons, Carolyn J & Bickart, Barbara A & Lynch, John G, Jr, 1993. "Capturing and Creating Public Opinion in Survey Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 20(2), pages 316-329, September.
    2. Xinshu Zhao & John G. Lynch & Qimei Chen, 2010. "Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 197-206, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Leonard J. Paas & Meike Morren, 2018. "PLease do not answer if you are reading this: respondent attention in online panels," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 13-21, March.
    2. Karoline Gamma & Robert Mai & Moritz Loock, 2020. "The Double-Edged Sword of Ethical Nudges: Does Inducing Hypocrisy Help or Hinder the Adoption of Pro-environmental Behaviors?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 351-373, January.
    3. Allison Ross & Craig A. Talmage & Mark Searle, 2019. "Toward a Flourishing Neighborhood: the Association of Happiness and Sense of Community," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(5), pages 1333-1352, November.
    4. Sarstedt, Marko & Diamantopoulos, Adamantios & Salzberger, Thomas, 2016. "Should we use single items? Better not," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 3199-3203.
    5. Shir-Way Siew & Michael S. Minor & Reto Felix, 2018. "The influence of perceived strength of brand origin on willingness to pay more for luxury goods," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(6), pages 591-605, November.
    6. Sarstedt, Marko & Diamantopoulos, Adamantios & Salzberger, Thomas & Baumgartner, Petra, 2016. "Selecting single items to measure doubly concrete constructs: A cautionary tale," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 3159-3167.
    7. Hoffmann, Stefan & Balderjahn, Ingo & Seegebarth, Barbara & Mai, Robert & Peyer, Mathias, 2018. "Under Which Conditions Are Consumers Ready to Boycott or Buycott? The Roles of Hedonism and Simplicity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 167-178.

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