ABSTRACT
In making paired comparison judgments, a subject may sometimes be inconsistent. An inconsistency in judgments occurs whenever there is a circular triad present in the n(n — 1) /2 judgments. Inconsistencies in comparative judgments occur for a number of reasons. It may also be true that inconsistencies in comparative judgments reflect a general personality or ability trait that there are some individuals who show a high degree of consistency, regardless of the nature of the comparative judgments they are asked to make, whereas others show a marked degree of inconsistency. Regardless of the conditions producing inconsistencies, it may often be desirable to obtain some measure of the degree of consistency a subject shows in making comparative judgments and this can be done in terms of M. G. Kendall's coefficient of consistence. Kendall has shown that when the number of stimuli to be judged is odd, then the maximum number of circular triads that can occur is (n3 — n) /24.
