Continuous concept measures raise the distinct questions of dimension weighting and substitutability

Evidence

In the pure weakest link model there is no substitutability. Ordinarily, when scholars use the term “necessary condition” they are explicitly, or more often implicitly, thinking in terms of dichotomous concepts. However, with fuzzy logic as well as public goods production functions we can have continuous variables. With continuous variables we can address two core questions of concept structure: (1) the relative weight of the dimensions and (2) substitutability between dimensions. — Gary Goertz, Social Science Concepts and Measurement, 944

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies ‘substitutability’ — whether a strong score on one dimension can offset a weak one, or whether deficits are non-compensable.