Magnitude Estimation: A New Method for Measuring Subjective Test Variables

摘要

Under the In-House Independent Laboratory Research (ILIR) Program, the US Army Tropic Test Center conducted an investigation of cross-modality matching methods, adapted from those used in studies of the measurement of sensations in the field of psychophysics, for use in measuring subjective variables in human factors evaluations. Magnitude estimation was selected as the desired response mode, and a series of laboratory studies of magnitude estimation of line lengths was carried out. Three field studies were also conducted using magnitude estimation to measure subjective variables important in human factors evaluations. It was concluded that magnitude estimation is a suitable and practical method for measuring subjective variables in human factors evaluations, and that this method measures these variables better than the usual rating and ranking methods. (Author)