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Practical Tasks: Using the Semantic Differential scale

For this module, Charles Osgood's 'Semantic Differential' scale has its advantages for exploring the connotations of website design features for target user groups. The example above can be used, for instance, to explore the connotations of particular fonts, but a similar form can also be used for exploring the connotations of colours--or any other design feature.

The technique involves giving the respondents a printed copy of the form and asking them, for each pair of terms, to place a tick in the position (1-7) which most closely reflects their impression of the stimulus object (e.g. a webpage). When you have a number of samples, you could, for instance, compare the reaction of males to the reactions of females to a) a male-targeted website and b) a female-targeted website.

It can be used in close association with a commutation test. Used in this way, the Semantic Differential is not exactly the tool devised by Osgood, but it suits our analytical purposes.

Daniel Chandler

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