USE AND ABUSES OF CATEGORY SCALES IN SENSORY MEASUREMENT

Category ratings are a popular device for assessing preferences and for guiding efforts in the development of new products. They are frequently misinterpreted or misused, however, because their use is so closely analogized to the process of fundamental measurement. Unlike physical measures, psychological scales such as category ratings are strongly affected by situational or contextual factors which must be carefully controlled and fully understood for proper use of the scale. Category ratings are affected by stimulus range and frequency, number of stimuli and number of categories, as well as by stimulus sequence. Implications for appropriate use of the scale in sensory evaluation are addressed.