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Forced-choice is deliberate because it maximizes the information of the question. If you put in intermediate options, that can mask real differences by letting
by cfcef 11y ago
Forced-choice is deliberate because it maximizes the information of the question. If you put in intermediate options, that can mask real differences by letting peoples' differing preferences for certainty influence whether their responses are informative or not. (People have information or preferences they don't even realize they have, like in some perceptual tasks, and you can't detect this without something like a forced-choice because if you give subjects any other options, they'll just say they don't know.)
- dhimes 11y agoInteresting. Forced-choice is ok if the question is completely clear. In many cases you have to assume information that makes the difference in which choice you pick, I find. Unless that in itself is what is being tested (do you implicitly supply optimistic or pessimistic information? for example). The problem with these questionnaires is that they get a lot of information from people who don't take it seriously so they don't learn anything either. In other words, it's my preference for clarity that is making my responses uninformative for the survey-giver.