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How continuous is continuous enough? Comparing the reliability of continuous and discrete scales
Wei-Hung Yang1, Yao-Ting Sung2, Yeh-Tai Chou3
1Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Sec. 1, Ho-Ping E. Road, Taipei, 10644, Taiwan.
Behavior Research Methods
|June 17, 2026
Summary
Higher response granularity generally improves rating scale reliability. The study found reliability increases with more options, with optimal performance seen in continuous visual analogue scales (VAS).
Area of Science:
- Social science measurement
- Psychometrics
- Quantitative psychology
Background:
- Designing reliable rating scales is crucial in social sciences, but prior research on optimal response granularity shows inconsistent findings.
- Inconsistencies may stem from methodological limitations, including classical test theory and response discretization, potentially underestimating continuous scale reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconceptualize discrete and continuous rating scales within a unified granularity continuum.
- To examine reliability across various response granularities using the continuous rating scale model (CoRSM).
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted: Monte Carlo simulations (N=200-1,000, 11-61 items, 3-point to continuous scales) and empirical validation with 3,434 students using 10 response formats (5-point to VAS).
- The CoRSA analytical framework was utilized to analyze reliability across different response granularities.
Main Results:
- Reliability generally increased with response granularity, though not strictly monotonically for all intermediate formats.
- Segmented regression identified a breakpoint for diminishing returns around 7-8 discrete options.
- Highest reliability estimates were achieved with 101-point and visual analogue scales (VAS).
Conclusions:
- Response granularity is a key factor influencing rating scale reliability.
- Continuous scales, particularly VAS, offer the highest reliability, clarifying inconsistencies in previous research.
Keywords:
CoRSAContinuous response modelRating scalesReliabilityResponse granularityVisual analogue scale (VAS)More Related Videos
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