Semantic differential scale for measurement. Measurements in marketing research. Tasks for independent solution
Likert scale- this is an assessment of some statement, most often on a symmetrical, usually five-point scale with values:
1) unconditionally agree;
2) rather agree;
3) agree and disagree equally;
4) rather disagree;
5) definitely disagree.
Evaluate the attitude to statements like:
o "This store sells high quality products."
o "This store has poor customer service."
o "I love shopping at this store."
Semantic differential is a method of constructing individual or group semantic spaces. The coordinates of the object in the semantic space are its assessments on a number of bipolar graded (three-, five-, seven-point) rating scales, the opposite poles of which are set using verbal antonyms. These scales were selected from a variety of trial scales using factor analysis methods.
Osgood justified the use of three basic seven-point rating scales: "assessment": good 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 bad "strength": strong 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 weak "activity": active 3 2 1 0 −1 −2 −3 passive The semantic differential (in the narrow sense) is also called the bipolar graduated rating scale used in the semantic differential method. Contents * 1 Construction of value coordinates * 2 Applications of the method * 3 Literature * 4 Notes.
8. Bogardus scale. Guttman scale.
Bogardus social distance scale
It is one of the first methods, developed. to measure attitudes towards racial and ethnic groups. This scale is based on the following fundamental assumption: the greater the prejudice an individual experiences in relation to a particular group, the less he wants to interact with members of this group. Items are formulated in terms of inclusion or exclusion. “Would you like to have X spouse?” is an inclusive question. “Would you like to ban all Y from coming to America?” - exclusive question.
Ethnic, interethnic tolerance- this is a tolerant or positive attitude towards people of a different nationality and race.
ethnic xenophobia- this is a negative attitude, fear or hatred towards representatives of another nationality, race.
Guttman scale. The main assumption is that the attitude is some one-dimensional structure, and the responses of the respondent expressing it, on a good scale, should represent a certain coherence and hierarchy. According to Gutman, this means that a respondent with a certain attitude accepts (agrees) with some statements and does not accept others. Thus, statements form a certain ordered set: from those that are accepted by the majority of people to those that are accepted by a few. Method is based on the principle of homogeneity, and the scale itself is cumulative: the items are formulated and ordered in such a way that the respondent's choice of any of them implies automatic agreement with all items of a lower rank. Attitude measurement consists in the fact that the respondent indicates those statements on the scale that he can accept; at the same time, he uses only dichotomous answers ("yes - no" or "agree - disagree"). The assessment of the attitude is the assessment of the corresponding class (point) of the scale. Thus, if the final score received by the respondent is known, it is possible to predict his answers for all statements.
semantic differential
Instruction
This part of the study determines the value of each department store to you by rating them using a series of scales limited by opposite adjectives. Using the "X" sign, indicate the place on the scale between adjectives that are opposite in meaning, which the best way describes your opinion about the store.
Please make marks on each scale without missing any.
Form
Sears This:
Powerful:-:-:-:-:X:-:-: Weak
Unreliable:-:-:-:-:-:X:-: Reliable
Modern:-:-:-:-:-:-:X: Old fashioned
Cold:-:-:-:-:-:X:-: Warm
Caring:-:X:-:-:-:-:-: Indifferent
Respondents make marks on the scale in those places that best reflect their opinion about the assessed object [I]. Thus, in our example Sears was rated as weak, reliable, very old-fashioned, warm and caring. A negative adjective or phrase can be either on the right or on the left of the scale. This allows you to control the tendency of some respondents, who are too positive or negative about the object in question, to put marks only on the right or left side without reading the descriptions of the items. Previously, the author described methods for selecting scale categories and compiling a semantic differential scale. Based on this material, the author has developed a semantic differential scale to measure perceptions of people and products (Box 9.2. Marketing Research Practice).
Individual items of the semantic differential can take values from -3 to +3 or from 1 to 7. The data obtained is usually analyzed using profile analysis, when averages or medians are calculated for each rating scale and then compared using graphing or statistical analysis. This helps to determine the common features of the difference and similarity of objects. To assess differences between segments of respondents, the researcher compares the average responses of different segments. Although the mean value is often used as a summary, the issue of treating the obtained data as interval values remains debatable. On the other hand, in cases where the researcher needs to make a general comparison of objects, for example, when determining store preferences, the scores for individual items are summed to obtain an overall assessment of the object.
Box 9.2. Marketing research practice
Semantic differential scale to measure perceptions of people and products
1. Coarse:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Fine
2. Delightful:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Calm
3. Uncomfortable:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Comfortable
4. Dominant:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Secondary
5. Thrifty:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Wasteful
6. Pleasant:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Unpleasant
7. Modern:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Not modern
8. Organized:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Unorganized
9. Rational:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Emotional
10. Early:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Mature
11. Formal:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Informal
12. Conservative:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Liberal
13. Complex:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Simple
14. Colorless:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Colorful
15. Humble:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: Vain
The versatility of the semantic differential scale has made it very popular in marketing research. It is widely used to compare brands, products, company images, to develop advertising and promotion strategies, and to develop new types of products. There are several types of the main scale.
Each researcher can create his own scale, but it is hardly worth it. It is better to choose a scale from among the standard scales that are original in the sense that they have their own name, are widely used, and are included in the most commonly used scale system. They are called original. Further, four discrete rating scales are considered, ratings - Likert, semantic differential, graphic rating and Stepel, as well as a scale with a constant sum and a rank scale.
Likert scale is based on the choice of the degree of agreement-disagreement with some specific statement. In fact, one pole of this essentially bipolar ordinal scale is formulated, which is much easier than naming both poles. The formulation of the statement may correspond to the ideal level of some parameter of the object. When describing the higher educational institution the following properties can be considered: qualified teaching staff, equipment of the classroom fund with technical means, modernity and regularity of updating training courses, availability e-leming in educational technologies, the level of culture, image and reputation, the contingent of students and many others. The wording of statements can be as follows: the teaching staff of this university is very qualified; the university has a very high level of application of modern teaching aids; students who strive for knowledge study at this university; Graduates of this university are highly valued in the labor market.
When applying the Likert scale, five gradations are usually considered. An example of using the Likert scale in the questionnaire is shown in fig. 8.1. In other words, the questions are formulated in the format of a Likert scale. The respondent is asked to tick one of the five boxes.
Rice. 8.1.
At the same time, the quantitative assessment itself is not required from the respondent in this case, although more often points can be immediately affixed next to the names of the gradations. As can be seen from fig. 8.1, the degree of agreement-disagreement with each statement may have the following gradations: strongly disagree (1 point), disagree (2 points), neutral (3 points), agree (4 points), definitely agree (5 points). Here, in parentheses, the most commonly used version of the scale digitization is given. It is also possible that a higher score (5 points) corresponds to the "strongly disagree" gradation.
Semantic differential and graphic rating scale
Semantic differential scale implies the presence of two polar semantic meanings (antonyms) or antonymic positions, between which there is an odd number of gradations. In this sense, the scale is bipolar. As a rule, seven gradations are considered. The middle position (medium gradation) is considered neutral. Digitization of scale gradations can be unipolar, for example in the form "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7", or bipolar, for example in the form "-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3".
Usually the poles of the scales are given verbally (verbally). Examples of scales with two poles are as follows: "soothing - invigorating" or "compact - voluminous". Along with verbal semantic differentials, non-verbal semantic differentials have been developed that use graphic images as poles.
Examples of verbal semantic differentials are given in fig. 8.2.
Rice. 8.2.
The semantic differential resembles the Likert scale, but has the following differences: 1) both polar statements are formulated instead of one; 2) instead of the names of intermediate gradations, a sequential graphic arrangement of an odd number of gradations located between the extreme values of "good - bad" is given.
Semantic differential method (from the Greek. sematicos - denoting and lat. differentia- difference) was proposed by the American psychologist C. Osgood in 1952 and is used in studies related to the perception and behavior of a person, with the analysis social attitudes and personal meanings, in psychology and sociology, in the theory of mass communications and advertising, in marketing.
It can be considered as an analogue of the semantic differential scale. The rating scale is implemented in such a way that each property is assigned a line, the ends of which correspond to polar statements, for example: "not important" and "very important", "good" and "bad" (Fig. 8.3).
Rice. 8.3.
The fundamental difference between the compared scales is that the semantic differential is a discrete scale, and, as a rule, it has seven gradations, and the graphic rating scale is continuous.
- So, when characterizing the exterior of certain brands of cars, it is sometimes said that brutality is inherent in it. There are also simpler examples - ergonomics and controllability, when it is difficult to meaningfully name the second pole.
SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL SCALE
A self-report methodology for assessing attitudes in which participants are asked to tick those boxes from a set of polarized adjectives or sentences that best describe their feelings towards an object.
One of the most popular techniques for measuring attitudes in marketing research is semantic differential scale.
It has been found to be particularly useful in researching the image of a corporation, brand or product.
This scale grew out of a study by Charles Osgood and colleagues at the University of Illinois related to the hidden structure of words. This technique has, however, been adapted to make it suitable for measuring expectations.
The original semantic differential scale consisted of a large number bipolar adjectives that were used to define human reactions to an object of interest. Osgood found that most reactions can be grouped into three main arrays: (1) the array ratings, represented by such pairs of adjectives as bad-good, sweet-sour, useful-useless; (2) array strength, represented by such pairs of adjectives as mighty-helpless, strong-weak, deep-shallow; (3) array activity, represented by such pairs of adjectives as fast-slow, alive-dead, quiet-noisy. These three arrays have shown a tendency to occur regardless of the object being evaluated. Thus, the generally accepted rule when using the technique of semantic differential when creating a scale was to choose a suitable sample from acceptable or basic pairs of adjectives, so that the object could be evaluated using each of the arrays - score, strength and activity. This object could subsequently be compared with other objects using the obtained estimates.
Market researchers took general idea Osgood and adapted it to their own needs. First, instead of using major pairs of adjectives for the objects of their interest they developed their own. These pairs were not always opposite in meaning and were not always only two words. In addition, the researchers used separate phrases to indicate the ends of the scale, and some of these phrases contained expectations attributed to the product. For example, one end of the scale could be labeled "worth the money" and the other end "not worth the money." Second, rather than using estimates of valuation, strength, and activity, marketers were more interested in creating profiles of brands, stores, companies, or anything else to be compared, and overall scores by which objects could be compared. . In this regard, the use of the semantic differential in marketing research followed rather the method of using the sum rating scale in relation to the construction of the scale itself.
Rice. 14.2 is parallel to fig. 14.1 regarding the characteristics used to describe the bank, but it is in a semantic differential format. Everything we have done in Fig. 14.2, they tried to express those words that could be used to characterize the bank and thus serve as a basis for forming attitudes in terms of positive and negative statements. Note that the negative phrases sometimes appear on the right side of the list and sometimes on the left. This is done in order to prevent a respondent with a positive attitude from simply crossing out the right or left phrase without trying to read their content carefully.
Rice. 14.2 An example of the form of a semantic differential shala
Service is impolite: - : : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : Service is polite
Convenient location: - : : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : Location is inconvenient
Opening hours are inconvenient: - : : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : Convenient opening hours
Loan rates are high: - : : - : - : - : - : - : - : - : Loan rates are low
Such a scale can be used in the survey. Each respondent will be asked to read the entire set of polarizing phrases and mark those that best describe how they feel about the object of interest. Typically, respondents are instructed to consider the last position on the scale as very extreme performance object, central position - as neutral and intermediate positions - as slightly characterizing or quite characterizing object of interest. So, for example, if a survey participant feels that the service at Bank A is polite, but to a rather modest extent, he will mark the sixth position on the scale, if read from left to right.
A person may be asked to rate several banks using the same scale. When several banks are evaluated, their individual portraits can be compared. For example, fig. 14.3 (sometimes called snake diagram because of its shape) shows that Bank A is viewed as being more polite, more conveniently located, and offering loans at lower interest rates but with more inconvenient opening hours than Bank B. Note that when constructing of these profiles, all positive descriptions were located on the right side. This practice makes it much easier to interpret the results. Marked scores represent the average score for all participants for each description item. The resulting profile gives a clear picture of how respondents perceive the differences between the two banks.
