Classical rating scales—From ancient times to Likert (1932)

Abstract

Rating scales are by far the most popular psychological measure and their use extends beyond psychological studies. However, their origins are curiously obscure, and their working mechanism is not well-known. Therefore, their safety as a research tool is a concern. The aim of this study was to make a comprehensive historical search into the genesis of the rating scale in its original context and to thereby understand the hidden operational principles of rating processes. Many examples existed before the Likert study (1932) and were used in the studies of Galton and Pearson and in studies on aesthetics (Roger de Piles), educational evaluation (Rugg), industrial psychology (W. D. Scott), and psychophysics (Beaufort), but without a strong mutual connection. This paper argues that, when evaluated on a time axis, the rating scales are self-generated in fits and starts, which may indicate that the root of rating scales lies in the numerical cognition and production of mankind.