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A family of association coefficients for metric scales

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Abstract

Four types of metric scales are distinguished: the absolute scale, the ratio scale, the difference scale and the interval scale. A general coefficient of association for two variables of the same metric scale type is developed. Some properties of this general coefficient are discussed. It is shown that the matrix containing these coefficients between any number of variables is Gramian. The general coefficient reduces to specific coefficients of association for each of the four metric scales. Two of these coefficients are well known, the product-moment correlation and Tucker's congruence coefficient. Applications of the new coefficients are discussed.

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Zegers, F.E., ten Berge, J.M.F. A family of association coefficients for metric scales. Psychometrika 50, 17–24 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02294144

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