Range-Frequency Theory

Range-frequency theory is a model of the psychological evaluation of stimuli in context developed by psychologist Alan Parducci. It posits that when a stimulus is rated alongside other stimuli, its rating will depend in part on where it ranks among the stimulus set. For example, a patient comparing doctors may provide a different rating to the same doctor when presented in a group of doctors perceived to be superior by the patient than when presented in a group of doctors perceived to be inferior by the patient.

Formally, the rating of a stimulus is described by a weighted average of the utility of the stimulus (relative to the range of utilities present in the context) and the rank of the stimulus (relative to the range of ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles