Multidimensional Scaling: An Introduction and Comparison of Nonmetric Unfolding Techniques

An empirical comparison of three computer programs for unfolding preference data to “recover” a stimulus configuration indicates differences among the resulting configurations that reflect the influence of differential weighting of “perceptual” dimensions in the context of preference.

Abstract

First this article describes some of the basic concepts of multidimensional scaling of similarities and preference data and provides a short description of its historical development. Then it reports an empirical comparison of three computer programs for unfolding preference data to “recover” a stimulus configuration (independently obtained). Results indicate differences among the resulting configurations that reflect the influence of differential weighting of “perceptual” dimensions in the context of preference.