Amos 7.0 performs Bayesian model fitting for ordered-categorical data. As an example of ordered-categorical data, consider the response scale

A. Disagree

B. No opinion

C. Agree

Prior to version 7.0, Amos required assigning numerical scores to the three responses, for example A=1, B=2, C=3. Although Amos 7.0 permits assigning numerical scores to the three responses, it can also employ a model in which there is a continuous underlying “agreement” scale that is broken up into three contiguous intervals. The observed categorical response is related to the unobserved numeric variable by the following rule. If a respondent’s level of agreement is in the lowest interval, the response is “A”. In the middle interval the response is “B”. In the highest interval the response is “C”. The distribution (across respondents) of the underlying numeric agreement score is assumed to be normal.