The Likert Scale Revisited

Abstract

This study examined the effect of alternative scale formats on reporting of intensity of attitudes on Likert scales of agreement. A standard one-stage format and an alternate two-stage format were tested in three separate studies on samples of university students in three countries. In general the two-stage format generated the greatest percentage of extreme-position (i.e. most intense) responses across scales. A test of predictive ability showed that the two-stage format was a better predictor of product preferences. Underlying data structures did not differ much between the two.