Marketing Research and Insight Glossary

Definitions, common uses and explanations of 1,500+ key market research terms and phrases.

What is Unipolar?

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Unipolar Definition

An ordinal scale with one positive end and one negative end.

Unipolar, in the context of market research, refers to a type of measurement scale used to assess a single attribute or quality. It has only one pole or extreme, allowing respondents to express their level of agreement, satisfaction, preference or intensity on a single dimension without considering opposing values.

Who relies on unipolar scales in market research?

Market researchers, survey designers and analysts rely on unipolar scales to gather insights about respondents' attitudes, opinions or preferences regarding specific attributes. These scales are commonly used to measure customer satisfaction, brand loyalty or other unidimensional concepts in market research studies.

Why should I care about unipolar scales in market research?

Understanding unipolar scales is important because they offer a straightforward way to measure respondents' perceptions or feelings about a single attribute. Whether you're a researcher or a business professional, using unipolar scales can help you gather focused feedback and quantify subjective opinions, leading to informed decision-making and targeted strategies.

Why are unipolar scales important to market research?

  • Unipolar scales simplify the measurement of specific attributes, making data collection and analysis more manageable.
  • By employing these scales effectively, you can gain insights into customers' sentiments, identify areas for improvement and track changes in perceptions over time.
  • Properly designed unipolar questions contribute to accurate data interpretation and actionable results in market research.