“The interview technique employed to understand the respondents’ connections between quality cues, quality attributes and personal values is called laddering. The key of this technique is iterative, non-directive probing from the individual important quality cues into underlying reasons for the quality cues. The laddering interviews follow the wording of the respondent, allowing optimal freedom in response style. This leads to theidentification of the implicit quality attributes, perceived benefits, and valued end states”

References

Urrea-Hernandez, C., Almekinders, C.J.M., van Dam, Y.K., 2016. Understanding perceptions of potato seed quality among small-scale farmers in Peruvian highlands. NJAS – Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 76, 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2015.11.001