Comparing Four Question Formats in Five Languages for On-Line Consumer Surveys.

Denis Richard Seninde,Edgar Chambers

doi:10.3390/mps3030049

Abstract

Question formats are critical to the collection of consumer health attitudes, food product characterizations, and perceptions. The information from those surveys provides important insights in the product development process. Four formats based on the same concept have been used for prior studies: Check-All-That-Apply (CATA), Check-All-Statements (CAS), Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA), and Rate-All-Statements (RAS). Data can vary depending on what question format is used in the research, and this can affect the interpretation of the findings and subsequent decisions. This survey protocol compares the four question formats. Using a modified version of the Eating Motivation Survey (EMS) to test consumer eating motivations for five food items, each question format was translated and randomly assigned to respondents (N = 200 per country per format) from Brazil (Portuguese), China (Mandarin Chinese), India (Hindi or English), Spain (Spanish), and the USA (English). The results of this survey should provide more understanding of the differences and similarities in distribution of data for the four scale formats. Also, the translations and findings of this survey can guide marketers, sensory scientists, product developers, dieticians, and nutritionists when designing future consumer studies that will use these question formats.

Highlights

To improve the health of people in our communities, it is important to understand the motivations that drive food choices, the perceptions of foods, such as liking or sensory qualities, and consumer’s reactions to products such as their emotional or attitudinal responses
It is beneficial to product developers, sensory scientists, and marketing researchers, as it guides them in producing and promoting food products that meet the needs of consumers
This study suggested that the reliability of data for consumer testing of foods that is collected using either CATA, CAS, or RATA questions could depend on whether the survey or study was conducted at a central location or via on-line testing

Summary

Introduction

To improve the health of people in our communities, it is important to understand the motivations that drive food choices, the perceptions of foods, such as liking or sensory qualities, and consumer’s reactions to products such as their emotional or attitudinal responses This information is essential to nutritionists and dietitians as they develop sustainable meal plans for their communities. Some commonly used ones include Check-All-That-Apply (CATA), Check-All-Statements (CAS), Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA), and Rate-All-Statements (RAS) These question formats are commonly used in consumer central location studies [2,7,9,10,11,12], phone interview surveys [13,14], self-administered studies (home-use tests [15,16] and on-line surveys [17,18]), and printed surveys [8] for a number of different types of studies related to consumer perception

Methods

Results

Conclusion