Over the decades, researchers have asked and analyzed thousands of questions in this quest. However, findings from these efforts can t be interpreted with confidence because the reliability and validity of the measures is unknown. Additionally, the measure offers an alternative to traditional demographic anchors like age and ethnic group which may not capture the true differences between consumer types. Psychometrics is the science of developing measures for personality, preferences, interests, attitudes, and values using statistical analysis. The goal of psychometric development is a measure that can be used, analyzed, and interpreted because it has acceptable levels of reliability and validity.
Reliability assures that a test is stable, consistent, and precise.
Validity is a determination that the measure actually taps into the desired dimensions and is useful for its intended purpose. Reliability is a necessary condition, but it is not sufficient to establish validity. Developing a measure that has known psychometric properties requires many administrations of the proposed items to homogeneous and heterogeneous subjects with rigorous statistical analysis throughout the process. Attachment refers to the consumer s interest in and enjoyment of clothing. Knowledge refers to the consumer s competence in interpreting apparel-related information.