When To Use A Semantic Differential Scale
A semantic differential scale asks respondents to rate a concept between two bipolar adjectives — for example Weak / Strong, Cold / Warm, or Unfair / Fair — usually with a slider or a numbered point scale between the two ends. It is a classic technique for measuring attitudes, brand or candidate impressions, and connotative meaning.
Domandata does not have a separate "semantic differential" question type. Build it with a Grid Matrix question whose input style is set to Slider — the same building block used for Likert batteries, just with the bipolar labels on the endpoints instead of scale-point text.
Block Builder: Grid Matrix (Slider)
Two Ways To Build It
Which pattern to use depends on whether every row shares the same bipolar scale or each row needs its own adjective pair.
- Same scale, multiple concepts (native fit): rate several concepts — candidates, brands, policies — on the same Weak/Strong or Cold/Warm scale. Put one concept per row and set the shared endpoint labels once. This is the pattern the Grid Matrix slider was built for.
- Different adjective pairs per row (workaround): a classic semantic differential battery often pairs a different set of opposites with each row (Weak/Strong, then Passive/Active, then Cold/Warm, all rating the same single concept). Because Grid Matrix endpoint labels are shared across every row, write each row's own adjective pair directly into the row label text instead — for example a row labeled "Weak ―――――――― Strong" — and leave the shared slider endpoint labels blank.
Configure It In Domandata
Step 1: Open Block Builder. Open the survey and select the block where the rating battery belongs.
Step 1: Open Block Builder
Step 2: Add a Grid Matrix question. Choose Grid Matrix from the question type selector.
Step 2: Choose Grid Matrix question type
Step 3: Add one row per concept (or per adjective pair). Use the concept's name as the row label for the shared-scale pattern, or the adjective pair itself (e.g. "Unfair ―――― Fair") for the per-row pattern.
Step 3: Add rows
Step 4: Switch the input style to Slider. This replaces the radio-button columns with a single draggable slider per row.
Step 4: Switch input style to Slider
Step 5: Set the bipolar endpoint labels. For the shared-scale pattern, set the left and right endpoint text once (e.g. Weak / Strong) — it applies to every row. For the per-row pattern, leave these blank since the pair is already written into each row label.
Step 5: Set endpoint labels
Step 6: Set the numeric range and step. A 7-point range (e.g. 1–7) is the most common semantic differential convention; hide the numeric endpoints if you want a purely visual scale.
Step 6: Set numeric range
Step 7: Preview mobile layout. Open Preview and confirm each slider is easy to drag on a small screen.
Step 7: Preview
Preview: Try A Semantic Differential Grid
Semantic Differential: Respondent View
Drag each slider between the bipolar endpoints — a Grid Matrix question configured for a semantic differential scale.
Data And Export Notes
Each row exports as its own numeric variable, just like any other Grid Matrix slider row. If you used the per-row adjective-pair workaround, review your codebook to confirm the row labels (which now double as the scale definition) are clear to anyone analyzing the export later.