The just-about-right intensity scale: Functional analyses and relation to hedonics

This study assessed the meaning of just-about-right ( JAR) categories when used with a 5-point intensity scale. The panelists comprised both consumer and in-house respondents. The JAR categories have various meanings as perceived by the respondents: "prefer product," " very good," " I like the product," " like it very much," " highly favorable," " high acceptability," " desirable like the product," " best for the situation" and " correct." Thus, the JAR meanings invoke preference and acceptability. This article presents two additional analyses to help the product tested. One method of analysis divides below-JAR deviation from the above-JAR deviation, with standard statistical procedures applied in each data set. The second method introduces the signal-to-noise ratio statistic for analyzing the relation of JAR to overall liking. Both analytic methods provide new ways to look at the JAR data, especially with respect to hedonics and product improvement.