Is that Your Final Answer: Testing Perceptual Asymmetry Biases on Responses to Likert-Scales

Abstract

The present study explores the effects that pseudoneglect, a perceptual asymmetry bias, has on responses to Likert-­‐scales. Pseudoneglect is the tendency for neurotypical individuals to mis-­‐bisect horizontal lines, generally erring to the left of veridical center. The present study hypothesized that a general leftward bias would be seen in participant responses to Likert-­‐scales. The study sample consisted of 20 participants (11 male, 9 female) who were tested using two versions of the National Student Survey (NSS)—an original and an altered version. A leftward bias was revealed between scale versions in two of five response categories. However, further analysis of responses that had changed between scale types was not significant. There was also no significant difference of overall satisfaction between scale versions. Although one analysis presented evidence for a leftward bias, the overall results cannot support evidence of pseudoneglect as further analyses failed to reach statistical significance. Implications for these findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.