Plenary Talk 6 - Invariance in Measured Quantities across the Sciences
- Event
- SMSI 2021
2021-05-03 - 2021-05-06
digital - Band
- SMSI 2021
- Chapter
- SMSI 2021 - Plenary Talks
- Author(s)
- W. Fisher - University of California, Berkeley (USA)
- Pages
- 31 - 32
- DOI
- 10.5162/SMSI2021/PT6
- ISBN
- 978-3-9819376-4-0
- Price
- free
Abstract
Basic physical quantities for mass, length, duration, and charge exhibit structural invariances not different in kind from those that also characterize probabilistically measured psychological and social quantities. For over 50 years, the theory and practice of additive conjoint models for measurement introduced in the 1960s have demonstrated that the scope of fundamental measurement is broader than was previously appreciated. This is especially apparent in the correspondences between the various log-interval scales employed in both the natural and the social sciences. These scales are conventionally treated in some fields as ratio scales by choosing convenient exponents, but are commonly expressed as logodds interval scales in the social sciences. In recent years, a metrological perspective focused on defined quantity values using these kinds of scales has begun to emerge from collaborations of engineers and psychologists. The terms of the shared perspective on measurement concern a basis in modeling lawful regularities, predictive explanatory theories, and quality assured metrological traceability to consensus standards.