What does a Likert scale measure?

A Likert scale is specifically designed to measure attitudes, opinions, or perceptions by asking respondents to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a series of statements. This scale typically presents a range of options, often from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree," allowing individuals to express their sentiments in a graduated manner. This capability to gauge nuances in attitudes makes the Likert scale a powerful tool in sociological research, especially when trying to understand complex views or feelings about a particular topic.

While demographic information identifies characteristics of respondents and frequency of events quantifies how often things occur, these do not capture the layered insights into attitudes that a Likert scale provides. Furthermore, qualitative responses involve open-ended answers that allow for rich, detailed feedback, which contrasts with the structured, ordinal nature of Likert scales that aim to quantify subjective views. Thus, the focus of a Likert scale is clearly on the measurement of attitudes or opinions.