Free comment versus word association test: Methodological insights for sensory analysis

Abstract

This study compares the Free Comment method and the Word Association Test as two consumer-based approaches for the auditory characterization of single-serve coffee machines. A total of 133 consumers evaluated four machine sounds using both methods in an intra-subject design. While both approaches yielded largely similar sensory interpretations and highlighted nearly the same key descriptors, the Word Association Test resulted in clearer product discrimination and identified more significant associations. These findings suggest that, despite their conceptual similarity, the two methods differ in the number and strength of product-term associations they generate. Further research could investigate the extent to which these findings generalize to other sensory modalities, such as smell or taste, where associative and emotional memory processes may influence consumer responses.