If you have been around survey research for any length of time you have come across the ubiquitous Likert scale. But, do you ever wonder what the Likert scale really is? This question format and its strongly agree to strongly disagree framework is a staple for in the pantry of questions we use on surveys. In the years I have been involved in constructing surveys and teaching market research I have seen many techniques and question types rise and fall in favor, yet the Likert scale holds its own.

The scale was developed by organizational psychologist Rensis Likert in order to measure the level of agreement or disagreement of a symmetric agree-disagree scale. The area of interest, be it a marketing or a social science construct, is assessed using a series of statements, each designed to view the construct from a slightly different angle.