CODEWITHSUNDEEP
spss
chelsea
chelsea

Reputation:

Group Likert scale responses in SPSS

I have a likert scale, (1-7), I want to group responses 2 to 7 together and leave out response 1. I'm using SPSS and getting a little confused.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1405

Answers (3)

RubenGeert
RubenGeert

Reputation: 2952

For recoding 1 into 0 and all other values into 1, an alternative is

compute v1 = v1 gt 1.

This looks like invalid syntax but it's explained in this tutorial. You can use this trick for a lot of other stuff too.

For staying on the safe side, first clone the original variable so you can cross it with the recoded version to ensure that the result is correct.

Upvotes: 0

RubenGeert
RubenGeert

Reputation: 2952

I think the best way is to clone the original variable and then RECODE it into the same variable. The advantages are that you'll keep your variables in the same order and you already have the variable label and value labels. So if the variable name is v1, clone it and run

RECODE v1 (7=2).

Now adjust the value labels with

ADD VALUE LABELS v1 2 "this value means ... or ...".

Here you give the meaning of values 2 and 7. For "leaving out" value 1, specify it as a missing value like so

MISSING VALUES v1 (1).

This presumes 1 is the only missing value. Now check all this by running

CROSSTABS v1 by copy_v1.

presuming your clone is called copy_v1. Following these steps is a short and safe road to a perfect result.

UPDATE

I think this syntax -although valid- may not be what the OP meant. Also, see comments below.

Upvotes: 1

dacarras
dacarras

Reputation: 21

I'll assume you wanted to convert a variable. Lets call a variable "var1", and it needs to be converted to a dummy variable (0 and 1). In this case, your original variable can be transformed to "var1r" by using the following code.

RECODE var1 (1=0) (2=1) (3=1) (4=1) (5=1) (6=1) (7=1) into var1r .

The previous codes, creates a new variable, in which higher responses (2-7) are denoted by 1, and lower numbers (1) are denoted by 0. If you cross this variables in a cross tab, by using the next syntax:

cross var1 by var1r .

It would show your different values correspondingly. The latter is a way to verify you have recode your variables correctly. You can use the similar syntax and change variables at will.

Good luck!

Upvotes: 1

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