Is “item” synonymous with “statement”?
Yes, the words refer to the phrases, symbols or objects that make up a Q sample. In Q technique, whatever can be sorted can be referred to as an “item”, including phrases, statements, symbols, pictures and other objects as well. Q studies have been conducted using a wide variety of stimuli. For example, in one of Stephenson’s early Q studies, people were asked to sort aromas. The Q sample was the contents of a set of small bottles, each containing a different substance. Zero was represented by a bottle filled with plain water.
