Deck 21: Multidimensional Scaling and Conjoint Analysis

Question 1

The objective in MDS is to obtain a spatial map that best fits the input data in the smallest number of dimensions.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The configuration derived from preference data is very similar to that obtained from similarity data.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The fit of an MDS solution is commonly assessed by the stress measure.Stress is a goodness-of-fit measure;higher values of stress indicate better fits.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Spatial maps are computed in such a way that the fit increases as the number of dimensions decreases.

Question 5

Each dimension determined in MDS represents only one attribute.

Question 6

Perception data may be direct or derived.

Question 7

Gaps in the spatial map may indicate potential opportunities for introducing new products.

Question 8

Non-metric MDS procedures assume that the input data are ordinal,and they result in ordinal output.

Question 9

Stress values indicate the proportion of variance of the optimally scaled data that is not accounted for by the MDS model.

Question 10

Direct approaches to collecting perception data are attribute-based approaches.

Question 11

The number of brands or stimuli selected for use in MDS analysis and the specific brands included determines the nature of the resulting dimensions and configurations.

Question 12

The conjoint analysis procedure is based on trade-offs respondents make when evaluating alternatives.

Question 13

The direct approaches to collecting perception data are used more frequently than the attribute-based approaches.

Question 14

Suppose a researcher is interested in obtaining consumer perceptions of automobiles,the choice of the number and specific brands or stimuli to be included in the MDS analysis should be based on the statement of the marketing research problem and theory only.The researcher should not bias the research by also using his judgment to determine what should be included in the analysis.

Question 15

In direct approaches to gathering perception data,respondents are asked to make similarity judgments on pairs of various brands or stimuli.

Question 16

Preference data order the brands or stimuli in terms of respondents' preference for some property.

Question 17

Derived approaches to collecting perception data require respondents to rate the brands or stimuli on the identified attributes using semantic differential scales or Likert scales.

Question 18

The metric MDS procedures assume that input data are metric and the output is also metric.

Question 19

MDS solutions are subject to substantial random variability.

Question 20

The metric and non-metric MDS methods often produce vastly different results.

Question 21

The pair-wise approach to conducting conjoint analysis stimuli is more commonly used than the full-profile approach.

Question 22

In order to perform internal analysis of preferences,both preference and perception data must be obtained.

Question 23

When conducting conjoint analysis,the attributes selected should be salient in influencing consumer preference and choice.

Question 24

With the full-profile approach to constructing conjoint analysis stimuli,respondents rank all the stimulus profiles.

Question 25

External analysis of preferences is preferred in most situations.

Question 26

When constructing conjoint analysis stimuli,it is necessary to evaluate all possible combinations of levels of the attributes.

Question 27

Correspondence analysis is an explanatory data analysis technique that is not suitable for hypothesis testing.

Question 28

For Kruskal's stress formula 1,a stress value of zero would indicate a poor fit of the MDS model to the data.

Question 29

If the attribute-based approaches are used to obtain input data,spatial maps can also be obtained by using factor or discriminant analysis.

Question 30

The interpretation of results in correspondence analysis is similar to that in principal components analysis.

Question 31

Correspondence analysis requires more effort on the part of the respondent than other MDS techniques.

Question 32

To develop spatial maps by means of discriminant analysis,the independent variable is the brand rated and the dependent variables are the attribute ratings.

Question 33

In conjoint analysis,the dependent variable is usually preference or intention to buy.

Question 34

Quantitative data can be mapped using correspondence analysis.

Question 35

Results in correspondence analysis are interpreted in terms of proximities among rows and columns.

Question 36

An assumption of MDS is that the similarity of stimulus A to B is the same as the similarity of stimulus B to A.

Question 37

For nonmetric conjoint analysis input data,the respondents are typically required to provide rank order evaluations.

Question 38

Internal analysis of preferences allows both brands and respondents to be represented in the same spatial map.

Question 39

For metric conjoint analysis input data,the respondents provide ratings.

Question 40

Correspondence analysis data is binary or categorical.

Question 41

Which is a disadvantage of the direct approach to collecting perception data?

A) The researcher must identify all the salient attributes.
B) The spatial map obtained depends upon the attributes identified.
C) The criteria are influenced by the brands or stimuli being evaluated.
D) Both B and C are disadvantages.

Question 42

MDS could be used for all of the marketing applications below except ________

A) Channel decisions judgments on compatibility of brands with different retail outlets could lead to spatial maps useful for making channel decisions.
B) Market segmentation position brands and consumers in the same space and thus identify groups of consumers with relatively homogeneous perceptions.
C) Assessing advertising effectiveness-spatial maps can be used to determine whether advertising has been successful in achieving the desired brand positioning.
D) Consumer intention how do consumer's intentions to buy the brand vary with different price levels?

Question 43

Which is an advantage of the direct approach to collecting perception data?

A) It is easy to identify respondents with homogeneous perceptions.
B) The researcher does not have to identify a set of salient attributes.
C) The respondents can be clustered based on the attribute ratings.
D) It is easier to label the dimensions.

Question 44

In MDS,at minimum,________ brands or stimuli should be included so as to obtain a well-defined spatial map.Including more than ________ brands is likely to be cumbersome and may result in respondent fatigue.

A) 8;20
B) 6;25
C) 6;20
D) 8;25

Question 45

In conjoint analysis,the attribute's importance is normalized to ascertain its importance relative to other attributes,Wi.

Question 46

Which is an advantage of the derived approach to collecting perception data?

A) It is easy to identify respondents with homogeneous perceptions.
B) The researcher does not have to identify a set of salient attributes.
C) Respondents make similarity judgments using their own criteria,as they would under normal circumstances.
D) Both A and C are advantages.

Question 47

________ is a lack of fit measure;higher values indicate poorer fits.

A) R-square
B) Relative importance weights
C) Stress
D) Attribute levels

Question 48

________ requires that the researcher specify the purpose for which the MDS results would be used and select the brands or other stimuli to be included in the analysis.

A) Selecting an MDS procedure
B) Deciding on the number of dimensions
C) Formulating the problem
D) Obtaining input data

Question 49

________ is a squared correlation index that indicates the proportion of variance of the optimally scaled data that can be accounted for by the MDS procedure.This is a goodness-of-fit measure.

A) Relative importance weights
B) Stress
C) Attribute levels
D) R-square

Question 50

In which approach to collecting perception data are respondents often required to rate all possible pairs of brands or stimuli in terms of similarity on a Likert scale?

A) direct
B) indirect
C) derived
D) preference

Question 51

Which is a disadvantage of the derived approach to collecting perception data?

A) It may be difficult to determine before analysis if and how the individual respondents' judgments should be combined.
B) The researcher must identify all the salient attributes.
C) The criteria are influenced by the brands or stimuli being evaluated.
D) It may be difficult to label the dimensions of the spatial map.

Question 52

The text reports on a research project which used MDS to plot the perceived ethics of marketing research firms using a broad-based moral equity dimension (factor 1)and a relativistic dimension (factor 2).Based on the research,internal marketing research departments are perceived to be the most ethical on both dimensions.

Question 53

If individual-respondent level analysis has been conducted,the estimation sample can be split in several ways to assess the stability of conjoint analysis solutions.

Question 54

For interpreting conjoint analysis,it is helpful to plot the part-worth functions.

Question 55

Conjoint analysis assumes that the important attributes of a product can be identified.

Question 56

Conjoint analysis assumes that consumers evaluate the choice alternatives in terms of the important attributes and make trade-offs.

Question 57

The derivation and use of ________ lie at the heart of multidimensional scaling.

A) perceptual maps
B) contrasts
C) pair-wise tables
D) part-worth functions

Question 58

________ is a class of procedures for representing perceptions and preferences of respondents spatially by means of a visual display.

A) Conjoint analysis
B) Multidimensional scaling (MDS)
C) Hybrid conjoint analysis
D) Regression analysis

Question 59

In ________ approaches to collecting perception data,the respondents are asked to use their own criteria to judge how similar or dissimilar the various brands or stimuli are.

A) derived
B) direct
C) preference
D) Likert

Question 60

In conjoint analysis,the importance of an attribute,Ii,is defined in terms of the range of the part-worths,αij,across the levels of that attribute Ii = {max(αij)- min(αij)},for each i.

Question 61

Which guideline for deciding on the number of MDS dimensions suggests plotting stress versus dimensionality?

A) interpretability of the spatial map
B) elbow criterion
C) ease of use
D) a priori knowledge

Question 62

________ is a technique that attempts to determine the relative importance consumers attach to salient attributes and the utilities they attach to the levels of attributes.

A) Correspondence analysis
B) External analysis of preferences
C) Conjoint analysis
D) Internal analysis of preferences

Question 63

In MDS,when a spatial map is obtained,it is assumed that interpoint distances are ________ scaled and that the axes of the map are multidimensional ________ scaled.

A) ordinal;interval
B) interval;ratio
C) interval;interval
D) ratio;interval

Question 64

________ is a method of configuring a spatial map such that the spatial map represents both brands or stimuli and respondent points or vectors and is derived solely from the preference data.

A) Metric analysis of preferences
B) Correspondence analysis
C) External analysis of preferences
D) Internal analysis of preferences

Question 65

Which guideline for deciding on the number of MDS dimensions suggests it is easier to work with two-dimensional maps or configurations than with those involving more dimensions?

A) a priori knowledge
B) elbow criterion
C) interpretability of the spatial map
D) ease of use

Question 66

Which of the ways below is not a way in which preference data might be obtained?

A) asking respondents to rate all possible pairs of brands in terms of similarity on a Likert scale
B) asking respondents to make paired comparisons and indicate which brand in a pair they prefer
C) asking respondents to rank brands from the most preferred to the least preferred
D) asking respondents for preference ratings for the various brands

Question 67

Values of .60 or better are considered acceptable values of ________,the index of fit.

A) R-square
B) relative importance weights
C) attribute levels
D) stress

Question 68

________ is a method of configuring a spatial map,such that the ideal points or vectors based on preference data are fitted in a spatial map derived from perception data.

A) Correspondence analysis
B) Metric analysis of preferences
C) Internal analysis of preferences
D) External analysis of preferences

Question 69

Which statement is true about using factor analysis to create spatial maps?

A) The dimensions would be labeled by examining the eigenvalues.
B) Discriminant weights can be used to label the dimensions.
C) By factor analyzing the data obtained using attribute-based approaches,one could derive,for each respondent,n factor scores for each factor,one for each brand.
D) Both A and B are correct.

Question 70

Which guideline for deciding on the number of MDS dimensions warns that it is difficult to interpret configurations or maps derived in more than three dimensions?

A) elbow criterion
B) a priori knowledge
C) ease of use
D) interpretability of the spatial map

Question 71

Which statement is true about correspondence analysis?

A) An advantage over other MDS techniques is that it reduces the data collection demands put on the respondents because only interval or ratio data are obtained.
B) A disadvantage is that between-set distances cannot be meaningfully interpreted.
C) The interpretation of results is similar to that in chi-square analysis.
D) All of the statements are true.

Question 72

Which of the following is not a factor influencing the MDS selection procedure?

A) whether some of the original values will be used in subsequent analysis
B) whether the MDS analysis will be conducted at the individual respondent level or at an aggregate level
C) the nature of the input data
D) whether perception or preference data are being scaled,or whether the analysis requires both kinds of data

Question 73

Which of the following is not a way to assess reliability and validity of the MDS solution?

A) Selectively eliminate stimuli from the input data and then determine the solution from the remaining stimuli.
B) Collect input data at two different points in time and then determine test-retest reliability.
C) Add a random error term to the input data,subject the resulting data to MDS analysis,and compare the solutions.
D) All of the above are ways to assess reliability and validity.

Question 74

________ data order the brands or stimuli in terms of respondents' preferences for some property.

A) Direct
B) Derived
C) Preference
D) Likert

Question 75

Various ways to label dimensions obtained in MDS were mentioned in the text.Which of the ways below was not mentioned in your text?

A) Axes may be labeled for the attributes with which they are most closely aligned.
B) Respondents can be shown their maps and asked to label the dimensions by inspecting the configurations.
C) label based on the criteria respondents used in making their evaluations
D) none of the above

Question 76

Which of the following statements is not true concerning conjoint analysis?

A) Conjoint analysis seeks to develop the part-worth or utility functions describing the utility consumers attach to the levels of each attribute.
B) Unlike multidimensional scaling,conjoint analysis relies on respondent's objective evaluations.
C) Conjoint analysis attempts to determine the relative importance consumers attach to salient attributes and the utilities they attach to the levels of attributes.
D) The underlying assumption is that any set of stimuli,such as products,brands,or stores,is evaluated as a bundle of attributes.

Question 77

________ is an MDS technique for scaling qualitative data that scales the rows and columns of the input contingency table in corresponding units so that each can be displayed in the same low-dimensional space.

A) Metric analysis of preferences
B) External analysis of preferences
C) Internal analysis of preferences
D) Correspondence analysis

Question 78

Which statement is true about using discriminant analysis to create spatial maps?

A) Input data should be obtained via attribute-based approaches to obtaining perception data.
B) Factor weights can be used to label the dimensions.
C) Spatial maps are obtained by plotting brand scores on the factors.
D) Both A and C are true.

Question 79

Which of the following is a way to interpret the configuration or spatial map?

A) profile dimensions in terms of variables that were not used in the MDS procedure
B) examine the coordinates and relative positions of the brands
C) examine dimension centroids
D) examine variables that load high on a factor

Question 80

Which guideline for deciding on the number of MDS dimensions relies on theory or past research to suggest the number of dimensions?

A) interpretability of the spatial map
B) elbow criterion
C) ease of use
D) a priori knowledge