Effects of forgetting on various protocols for category and line scales of intensity

Abstract

Judges rated the intensity of NaCl solutions and orange drinks of varying sweetness using category scales and line scales. They performed under four response conditions that varied in reliance on memory: (1) verbal response (2) written response with no retasting and the response sheet removed (3) written response with a single response sheet which allowed past scores to be reviewed and amended but with no retasting (4) the same as '3' but with retasting. Discrimination errors decreased from conditions '1' through '4' indicating how allowing judges to 'refresh the memory' improved discrimination. The cognitive processes involved in rating and consequences for scaling protocols and the experimental design for descriptive analysis are discussed in the light of these findings.