Abstract
The current study is important for two reasons: First, it demonstrates a procedure for isolating both the label and position effects in rating scales. In addition, it indicates that subjects seem to respond to the actual adjectives employed rather than to their positions relative to the endpoints. Further research should be conducted, in order to determine the relative importance of label and position effects in rating scales, using subjects other than students. Since much research involves the use of rating scales, this is certainly an important area that warrants considerably more investigation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartram, P. and Yielding, D. 1973. “The Development of an Empirical Method of Selecting Phrases Used in Verbal Rating Scales: A Report on a Recent Experiment.”Journal of the Market Research Society 15, 151–156.
Cliff, N. 1959. “Adverbs as Multipliers.”Psychological Review 66, 27–44.
Green, P.E. and Rao, V.R. 1970. “Rating Scales and Information Recovery: How Many Scales and Response Categories to Use?”Journal of Marketing 34, 33–39.
Jacoby, J. and Matell, M.s. 1971. “Three-point Likert Scales are Good Enough.”Journal of Marketing Research 8, 495–500.
Jones, L.V. and Thurstone, L.L. 1955. “The Psychophysics of Semantics: An Experimental Investigation.”Journal of Applied Psychology 39, 31–36.
Lehmann, D.R. and Hulbert, J. 1972. “Are Three-point Scales Always Good Enough?”Journal of Marketing Research 9, 444–446.
Mittelstaedt, R.A. 1971. “Semantic Properties of Selected Evaluative Adjectives: Other Evidence.”Journal of Marketing Research 8, 236–237.
Myers, J.H. and Warner, W.G. 1968. “Semantic Properties of Selected Evaluation Adjectives.”Journal of Marketing Research 5, 409–412.
Wildt, A.R. and Mazis, M.B. 1978. “Determinants of Scale Response: Label Versus Position.”Journal of Marketing Research 15, 261–267.
Worcester, R.M. and Burns, T.R. 1975. “A Statistical Examination of the Relative Precision of Verbal Scales.”Journal of the Market Research Society 17, 181–197.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Interpublic Group of Companies
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Friedman, H.H., Leefer, J.R. Label versus position in rating scales. JAMS 9, 88–92 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02723568
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02723568