The 9-point hedonic and unstructured line hedonic scales: An alternative analysis with more relevant effect sizes for preference

Abstract

In two experiments, five types of potato chip were assessed by 185 subjects, using an unstructured hedonic line scale and the 9-point hedonic scale to measure preferences among the different flavors of chip. The goal was to extend the applicability of the R-index analysis of hedonic scales. All prior experimentation had been concerned with studying the R-index analysis for the 9-point hedonic scale. This study was to extend the R-index analysis to the unstructured hedonic line scale. The result was that the R-index analysis could be successfully applied to unstructured hedonic line scales. It also confirmed earlier findings that it could be applied to the 9-point hedonic scale. The paper also contains a critical review of the traditional protocols for measuring preferences using hedonic scales, their methods of analysis and the assumptions made for these methods.