TRADITIONAL SURVEYS
Traditional surveys are a valuable way to understand what consumers consciously think, believe and say. But asking a direct question doesn’t always reveal the full story.
There can be a gap between what people tell us and how they actually behave. Split Second Research calls this the truth gap. Understanding when to rely on traditional surveys – and when to look beyond them – can provide deeper, more accurate consumer insight.
WHAT
PEOPLE SAY
Traditional surveys, or self-report questionnaires, measure conscious, explicit responses. They can be used to capture opinions, preferences and other information that consumers are able and willing to express.
But consumers don’t always know exactly how they feel, can find those feelings difficult to put into words, or may give the answer they think is expected of them. And what someone says they will do doesn’t necessarily predict what they will actually do when faced with a real purchase decision.
WHEN SURVEYS
WORK
Explicit research is useful when the information you need is conscious and can be verbalised. Split Second Research’s EXPRESS platform, for example, is designed for traditional self-report questionnaires.
The limitation comes when a decision is driven by reactions, associations and feelings that sit outside conscious awareness. In these situations, simply asking consumers what they think may only capture part of the picture.
WHEN SURVEYS
WORK
Explicit research is useful when the information you need is conscious and can be verbalised. Split Second Research’s EXPRESS platform, for example, is designed for traditional self-report questionnaires.
The limitation comes when a decision is driven by reactions, associations and feelings that sit outside conscious awareness. In these situations, simply asking consumers what they think may only capture part of the picture.
BEYOND THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Not every consumer response can be captured accurately by asking a question. Split Second Research uses implicit and neuro-cognitive research methods to explore the emotional drivers, automatic associations and instinctive responses that traditional surveys can miss.
Rather than replacing explicit research in every situation, these approaches can add another layer of understanding – helping reveal both what consumers can tell you and what their rapid, automatic responses show.
THE TRUTH GAP
People may sincerely tell researchers what they think, but sincerity does not necessarily mean that the answer captures everything driving their behaviour.
Responses can be influenced by social desirability, rationalisation, difficulty articulating instinctive reactions and the simple fact that people have limited conscious access to some of the processes shaping their choices.
Implicit testing is designed to narrow this truth gap by measuring rapid responses rather than relying solely on conscious self-report.
IMPLICIT RESPONSE TESTING
Implicit reaction time tests measure the speed and accuracy of consumers’ responses to stimuli such as brands, products, images and words.
These rapid responses can reveal underlying associations and attitudes that respondents may find difficult to express directly. Because the approach does not depend on asking people to consciously evaluate and explain every reaction, it can provide insight into the more automatic responses involved in consumer decision-making.
A MORE COMPLETE
PICTURE
The choice doesn’t have to be traditional or implicit research.
Split Second Research uses explicit responses to measure conscious, verbalisable feelings and implicit reaction time testing to explore more automatic beliefs and attitudes. Used together, the two approaches can provide a broader view of how consumers perceive a brand, product, claim, advert or other marketing stimulus.
The result is research that looks beyond what consumers say alone – helping brands better understand the feelings and associations that may influence what they ultimately do.
TRADITIONAL SURVEYS
Sometimes, the simplest way to understand people is to ask them.
Our traditional research methods capture conscious opinions, attitudes, preferences and intentions, providing robust data that can reveal what audiences think and why.
QUESTION
RESPOND
ASSESS
IMPLICIT RESPONSE
People don’t always say what they really think.
Implicit research helps uncover the automatic associations and emotional responses that sit beneath conscious answers. By looking beyond what people say, we can reveal the reactions that influence perception and behaviour.
SUBCONSCIOUS
INSTINCTIVE
TRUTH
VISUAL PREFERENCE
What people choose to look at can tell us a lot about what connects with them.
Visual preference research explores how people respond to different creative, design and visual assets, so we can offer insights on what grabs customers’ attention and which visual elements make the difference.
COMPARE
REVIEW
DECIDE
BUYING DECISIONS
Understanding behaviour means looking beyond individual answers.
We combine different sources of evidence to measure complex emotional responses and their effect on buying decisions. The result is a richer understanding of your audience and the factors that influence their choices.
TEST
UNDERSTAND
DELIVER
WE BRING
IDEAS TO LIFE
Communication done well, whether in words, images, video, or in person, can stop people in their tracks, change their minds, and inspire them to take action.
