Agricultural Machinery and Emotions. Here's how it's measured.

Measuring emotions is a complex task. Traditional methods like item lists with scaled inquiries often fall short of capturing true, unconscious reactions. Apparatus-based procedures such as galvanic skin response measurements or facial coding provide more reliable and accurate results, but they involve significant effort for researchers and participants. Our goal was to provide our client with a smart, scientifically sound alternative that would work for the planned international survey. Therefore, we opted for a research design that combined qualitative, quantitative, and implicit methods.

The qualitative study aimed to develop a thorough understanding of what truly motivates farmers in various regions across four continents. Additionally, insights were to be gained to shape the quantitative study. In the initial weeks, our researchers traveled both physically and virtually to agricultural hotspots and remote regions to speak with participants. However, it wasn't just about mobility. To achieve the necessary depth in the interviews, we exclusively employed native-speaking researchers who were also technically proficient, allowing them to engage with the farmers on equal terms. This approach paid off. It enabled us to gain entirely new perspectives on the decision-making process and provide insights into what really matters to farmers when purchasing and using tractors.  

To statistically validate the insights gained from the qualitative study, a comprehensive international survey was conducted with over 2,400 farmers. The study focused on attitudes and experiences related to brand and tractors concerning rational, technical, and economic criteria.

However, the primary focus was on the emotional impact of the brand and tractors within the competitive environment. For emotion measurement, the PIC|MOTION method was employed – an implicit procedure that measures deeper responses using visual stimuli.

PIC|MOTION captures the emotional space comprehensively with a gallery of around 40 validated images and 45 expressions. The foundation for this is the emotional circumplex model by Russell and Scherer. Unlike apparatus-based methods, PIC|MOTION can be easily integrated into personal interviews or online surveys without much effort.

The quantitative survey with PIC|MOTION impressively demonstrated how and which emotional reactions are triggered by brand communication on one hand, and by technical features, equipment, and design on the other. The emotional mapping visualized the differences between brands in dimensions such as excitement, pride, and security. These results surprised the client, as previous conventional measurements had not revealed such insights and the associated positioning opportunities. Particularly insightful was the finding that some brands consistently made their emotional positioning tangible through the product itself. Others, however, showed significant discrepancies between product experience and brand communication.