The response formats in self-rated psychological scales are known to influence how people respond to the question items of these scales. However, response formats are not given careful consideration when designing questionnaires. In this article, the effects of different methods of displaying options on response behaviors were reviewed; and the type of response formats in scales developed in Japan and Western countries was classified based on the number of options, order, and labels. The main results of classification types indicated the following: (a) items of scales developed in Japan are usually measured on a five-point scale, whereas those developed in Western countries use a seven-point scale; (b) the response options of nearly all the scales has an ascending order; and (c) response categories of many scales developed in Japan has the anchors "strongly disagree―strongly agree".  Moreover, types of response options used in recent years tend to be homogenized. The problems of response formats in psychological assessment and issues remaining for clarification in future studies are discussed.

特集 : 坂上貴之教授 退職記念号
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