The psychophysics of semantics: an experimental investigation

Abstract

The meanings of 51 descriptive adjectives were indicated by approximately 900 enlisted Army personnel on a 9-category successive-interval schedule. For each adjective, a scale value and S.D. were calculated. These parameters permitted reproduction of the cumulative proportions of responses, under the assumption of normal distributions, with a very small average error. "From the results of the present study, it is possible to select suitable descriptive adjectives for use as labels of successive intervals on subsequent preference schedules." (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)