ABSTRACT
This chapter considers item response theory (IRT) applications in marketing research. Our review of this work highlights a major difference in the research aims of educational testing, where most of IRT has been applied, and marketing research studies. Typically, educational-testing studies have a person-centric focus with the objectives to both diagnose and score aptitude and ability levels of test takers. In contrast, marketing research studies involve questions about attitudes and perceptions, and aim at understanding relationships between multiple constructs linked to consumer situations that involve the acquisition, consumption, and disposal of products or services.
