Do Numeric Values Influence Subjects’ Responses to Rating Scales?

Journal of International Marketing and Marketing Research, Vol. 26, 41-46, 2001

12 Pages Posted: 11 Apr 2014 Last revised: 13 Aug 2014

See all articles by Taiwo Amoo

Taiwo Amoo

City University of New York (CUNY) - Department of Finance

Hershey H. Friedman

Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Date Written: February 1, 2001

Abstract

A study was conducted with a random sample of 139 college students to determine whether using different numbering schemes for rating scales would achieve different results. Two different rating scales, one numbered from 4 to -4 and another numbered from 9 to 1, were employed. The results indicated that the 4 to -4 scales produced more positive evaluations than did the 9 to 1 scales. It appears that a negative number next to the negative-evaluation descriptor, e.g., “awful,” makes the descriptor seem much more negative than when the lowest number on the scale is a 1. This causes a difference in the means and frequency distributions of scales numbered 4 to -4 as compared with using the same scales with numbers ranging from 9 to 1.

Keywords: Rating scales, numerical rating scales, measurement bias, hedonic ratings

JEL Classification: C00, C10, C40, I20

Suggested Citation

Amoo, Taiwo and Friedman, Hershey H., Do Numeric Values Influence Subjects’ Responses to Rating Scales? (February 1, 2001). Journal of International Marketing and Marketing Research, Vol. 26, 41-46, 2001, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2423064

Taiwo Amoo

City University of New York (CUNY) - Department of Finance ( email )

2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
United States

Hershey H. Friedman (Contact Author)

Brooklyn College of the City University of New York ( email )

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