Q-Sort Technique

Created by William Stephenson, the Q-sort technique (QST) represents the data-collection procedure as a basis for the Q methodology. This technique is widely used in psychology, sociology, and political sciences to study subjective variables: individuals’ preferences, attitudes, opinions, feelings, and perspectives. It is mainly used to assess a group’s perspective on a topic, providing information about the consensus and disagreement among a certain population.

In the Q-sort technique, respondents are asked to sort a set of items (e.g., cards with statements or pictures) by ranking them in a continuum of categories (e.g., “most likable” to “most unlikable”) using a specific instruction set. Often, the categories are organized to represent a normal distribution pattern. Given that all the items are presented simultaneously, participants systematically compare all stimuli, which minimizes the order effect and facilitates the decision process. This technique constitutes a mixed methodology, as it combines qualitative and quantitative research methods.