Beyond Anxiety and 'Political Correctness': How Experimental Design Trumps 'Gaming It' and Gets More Deeply into the Mind

Abstract

The researchers present a research approach which was stimulated, in part, by genomics thinking in the biological sciences, conjoint analysis in marketing, and psychophysical measurement in experimental psychology. We present the approach in terms of different steps, both conceptual and executional, respectively, as a method for measuring truth for highly, emotionally tinged topics. In doing so, we overcome the continuing issues in both consumer and public opinion research where the respondents’ desire to please the interviewer by seeming to be politically correct ('PC') provides erroneous information.

Keywords: conjoint analysis, genomics, psychophysical, politically correct

JEL Classification: C9