Comparing the Rate-All-That-Apply and Rate-All-Statements Question Formats across Five Countries

Area of Science:

• Consumer behavior research
• Sensory science
• Food psychology

Background:

• The Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) question format is widely used.
• Rate All That Apply (RATA) is a derivative of CATA, involving selection and rating.
• Rate All Statements (RATING) requires rating all provided statements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the attribute discrimination and sample differentiation capabilities of RATA and RATING question formats.
• To assess eating motivations across different food groups using both RATA and RATING methods.
• To investigate differences in consumer responses between RATA and RATING.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted in Brazil, China, India, Spain, and the USA.
• Respondents (n=200 per country per format) were randomly assigned to either RATA or RATING.
• Eating motivations for five food groups (starch-rich, protein-rich, dairy, fruits/vegetables, desserts) were assessed.

Main Results:

• RATING yielded more 'apply' responses across all eating motivation constructs compared to RATA.
• RATING showed greater discrimination among motivations and better sample differentiation than RATA in all countries.
• Mean motivation scores were generally higher with RATA, suggesting some consumers opt out of rating in RATA rather than selecting low scores in RATING.

Conclusions:

• The RATING question format appears more effective for attribute discrimination and sample differentiation in assessing eating motivations.
• Differences in response patterns between RATA and RATING suggest distinct psychological processes influencing consumer choices.
• Further research is needed to establish the validity of RATA and RATING before recommending one over the other.