ABSTRACT
In sensory testing, a given problem frequently requires appreciable thought before the appropriate practical tests can be selected. This is because the initial conception of the problem may require clarification. It is not unusual for problem and test objectives to be defined and redefined several times before an acceptable design emerges. Pilot tests are often useful as a means of refining a design. Affective tests can be divided into Preference tests in which the task is to arrange the products tested in order of preference, Acceptance tests in which the task is to rate the product or products on a scale of acceptability, and “attribute diagnostics” in which the task is to rank or rate the principal attributes which determine a product’s preference or acceptance. With regard to the statistical analysis, preference and acceptance tests can be seen as a special case of Attribute difference tests, in which the attribute of interest is either preference or degree of acceptance.
