Bi-Polar Measurement Scales in Market Research

What is a semantic differential scale? Semantic differential scales measure, record, and analyze the connotative meaning of people's opinions, emotions, and attitudes towards questionnaire items. It is a rating scale that weighs respondents' perceptions toward certain subjects in predetermined contexts. The Semantic Differential Scale developed by American psychologist Charles Egerton Osgood in 1979 was a revelation as it allowed researchers in social and educational research to record people's emotional reactions. The scale is essentially applying Osgood's general attempt to discover and understand different words' semantics or meaning. His research was associated explicitly with adjectives and the referent concepts with which they apply. Today, semantic differential scales have turned into rating scales associated with each item in questionnaires or surveys. Moreover, the ratings themselves oscillate between two extents, indicating two semantically adverse characteristics at bipolar ends (one is positive while the other is negative). In simpler words, they involve the use of polar opposites such as: • Good – Bad • Like – Dislike • Satisfied – Dissatisfied • Recommend – Wouldn't Recommend Between the two opposing ends are several other options that vary in degrees of negative and positive connotation. There are typically five intervals in semantic differential scales, but versions with seven options have been used. When it comes to market research, the semantic differential scale effectively determines the target audience's feelings and emotional attitudes towards products or services or their particular aspects or features. For example, market researchers can ask respondents to rate products or note their feelings about specific features. The options can be given in matrix or other graphic representations of the scale, representing contextual inquiry to elicit the respondent's disposition or emotional perceptions.

Url: ovationmr.com/semantic-differential-scale

Main category: Science

Sub category: Social Sciences

Tags: semantic differential scale rating scale factor analysis

Added: 31/10/2021

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