Osgood's semantic differential scale

Osgood's semantic differential scale is a tool used to measure the meaning or feelings people associate with a word, phrase, or concept. It presents respondents with pairs of opposite adjectives (like "happy" vs. "sad") and asks them to rate their perception on a scale between these pairs. By analyzing how people position their answers, researchers can understand the underlying dimensions—such as positivity, intensity, or activity—associated with the concept. This method helps capture the nuanced emotional or connotative meanings people ascribe in a structured, quantifiable way.