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The Effect of Familiarity with the Response Category Labels on Item Response to Likert Scales

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  • Bert Weijters
  • Maggie Geuens
  • Hans Baumgartner

Abstract

Surveys in the social sciences often employ rating scales anchored by response category labels such as "strongly (dis)agree" or "completely (dis)agree." Although these labels may exert a systematic influence on responses since they are common to all items, academic research on the effect of different labels is surprisingly scarce. In order to help researchers choose appropriate category labels, we contrast the intensity hypothesis (which posits that response categories are endorsed less frequently if the labels are more extreme) with the familiarity hypothesis (which states that response categories are endorsed more frequently if the labels are more common in day-to-day language). In a series of studies we find consistent support for the familiarity hypothesis. Our results have important implications for the appropriate use of category labels in multilingual surveys, and we propose a procedure based on Internet search engine hits to equate labels in different languages in terms of familiarity.

Suggested Citation

  • Bert Weijters & Maggie Geuens & Hans Baumgartner, 2013. "The Effect of Familiarity with the Response Category Labels on Item Response to Likert Scales," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 40(2), pages 368-381.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/670394
    DOI: 10.1086/670394
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    Cited by:

    1. Piotr Cichocki & Piotr Jabkowski, 2023. "Response scale overstretch: linear stretching of response scales does not ensure cross-project equivalence in harmonised data," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 3729-3745, August.
    2. Cabooter, Elke & Weijters, Bert & Geuens, Maggie & Vermeir, Iris, 2016. "Scale format effects on response option interpretation and use," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 2574-2584.
    3. Weijters, Bert & Millet, Kobe & Cabooter, Elke, 2021. "Extremity in horizontal and vertical Likert scale format responses. Some evidence on how visual distance between response categories influences extreme responding," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 85-103.
    4. Elke Cabooter & Bert Weijters & Alain Beuckelaer & Eldad Davidov, 2017. "Is extreme response style domain specific? Findings from two studies in four countries," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 2605-2622, November.
    5. Darren W Dahl & Eileen Fischer & Gita V Johar & Vicki G Morwitz, 2017. "Making Sense from (Apparent) Senselessness: The JCR Lens," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(4), pages 719-723.
    6. Yang, Shuai & Carlson, Jeffrey R. & Chen, Sixing, 2020. "How augmented reality affects advertising effectiveness: The mediating effects of curiosity and attention toward the ad," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    7. Chauhan, Vivek & Gupta, Akshay & Parida, Manoranjan, 2021. "Demystifying service quality of Multimodal Transportation Hub (MMTH) through measuring users’ satisfaction of public transport," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 47-60.
    8. Weijters, Bert & Baumgartner, Hans & Geuens, Maggie, 2016. "The calibrated sigma method: An efficient remedy for between-group differences in response category use on Likert scales," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 944-960.

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