CSA CSA Consumer Research & Market Applications 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questions in consumer research are primarily used to generate:
- Attribute frequency profiles that describe product perception (Correct answer)
- Ranked preference orders among a product set
- Exact intensity values for specific sensory characteristics
- Hedonic liking scores on a continuous scale
Correct answer: Attribute frequency profiles that describe product perception
CATA questions ask consumers to select all applicable descriptors from a list, and the resulting frequency of selection for each term provides a perceptual profile that characterizes how consumers describe each product.
Question 2: In sensory marketing, the 'halo effect' refers to:
- A positive brand image biasing consumer perception of sensory attributes (Correct answer)
- Trained panelists rating multiple attributes simultaneously causing score inflation
- The masking of off-flavors by strong positive flavors
- Higher overall liking scores when a product is presented first
Correct answer: A positive brand image biasing consumer perception of sensory attributes
The halo effect occurs when a positive brand reputation, attractive packaging, or favorable concept information causes consumers to rate individual sensory attributes more favorably than they would in a blind evaluation.
Question 3: Which statistical method is used in consumer sensory research to model how changes in specific sensory attributes drive overall product liking?
- Multiple linear regression (MLR) (Correct answer)
- t-test
- Chi-square test
- Friedman test
Correct answer: Multiple linear regression (MLR)
Multiple linear regression with overall liking as the dependent variable and sensory attribute intensities as independent variables identifies which attributes are key drivers of liking and the direction and magnitude of their influence.
Question 4: When screening consumers for a sensory panel, which test is typically used to verify that recruits can reliably differentiate between basic taste qualities?
- Basic taste recognition test (Correct answer)
- Triangle test
- Ranking test
- Magnitude estimation test
Correct answer: Basic taste recognition test
A basic taste recognition test presents solutions of sweet (sucrose), salty (NaCl), sour (citric acid), bitter (caffeine/quinine), and umami (MSG) to verify that recruits can correctly identify each quality, screening out those who cannot.
Question 5: What does 'concept-product fit' mean in the context of consumer product testing?
- The degree to which a product's sensory experience meets the expectations set by its concept/description (Correct answer)
- The alignment between product cost and consumer willingness to pay
- Matching product flavor to the target demographic's stated preferences
- Agreement between trained panel scores and consumer liking ratings
Correct answer: The degree to which a product's sensory experience meets the expectations set by its concept/description
Concept-product fit assesses whether consumers who are attracted to a product concept still find the actual product satisfying after use, measured by comparing pre-use (concept) and post-use (product) liking or intent-to-purchase scores.
Question 6: In conjoint analysis applied to food product development, the 'part-worth utility' of an attribute level represents:
- The relative value that attribute level adds to overall consumer preference (Correct answer)
- The frequency with which consumers select that attribute in a CATA task
- The weight assigned to the attribute in a principal component model
- The statistical significance of the attribute in an ANOVA model
Correct answer: The relative value that attribute level adds to overall consumer preference
Part-worth utilities are the individual contribution values derived for each level of each attribute in a conjoint model, indicating how much each specific level increases or decreases overall preference relative to a baseline.
CSA CSA Consumer Research & Market Applications 2
Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questions in consumer research are primarily used to generate: