Evaluation of the Labeled Hedonic Scale under different experimental conditions

The present study explored the performance, psychophysical properties, and potential limitations of the Labeled Hedonic Scale (LHS) in two different test conditions. The LHS was first compared against the 9-point hedonic scale in a psychophysical laboratory setting by having subjects evaluate two sets of taste stimuli with different size of hedonic ranges. Both scales showed equal discrimination power, but the LHS was more resistant to ceiling effects and its data satisfied the normality assumption for statistical analysis. In the second experiment, subjects with different levels of prior experience with the 9-point scale were recruited to evaluate juice samples and food item names in a large-scale consumer test, after receiving either common written instructions or detailed instructions emphasizing the use of the LHS. Improper use of the LHS (e.g. categorical ratings) was evident for those who received written instructions, especially among subjects who had previous experience with the 9-point scale. The present results support the efficacy of the LHS in various test settings, while highlighting the importance of providing adequate instructions to subjects to fully utilize its advantages.