Semantic differential bipolar pairs – UGC NET Question

The semantic differential scale presents a concept or object along with opposing adjective pairs placed at the ends of a continuum, and respondents indicate their position between these poles. This captures the connotative meaning of the concept on dimensions such as evaluation, potency and activity. It allows nuanced measurement of attitudes beyond simple agreement or disagreement. Because the stem mentions bipolar adjective pairs like good–bad or strong–weak, it clearly describes the semantic differential scale.

Option A:
A rating scale generally asks respondents to judge an object on a single numerical or descriptive continuum, such as from 1 to 10, but it does not necessarily employ bipolar adjective pairs. While rating scales are common, the specific format in the stem is more precisely described by the semantic differential technique.

Option B:
The semantic differential scale uses several such bipolar items and can summarise responses by averaging across them, providing profiles of how concepts are perceived. This emphasis on paired adjectives and connotative meaning fits the stem closely, confirming semantic differential scale as the correct completion.

Option C:
A nominal scale merely labels categories without order or quantitative interpretation, such as types of occupation. It does not involve rating positions between bipolar adjectives and therefore does not match the description in the question.

Option D:
A rank order scale requires respondents to arrange items in order of preference, not to locate them on continua between opposite adjectives. Hence, rank order scale is not the appropriate term here.