Indexicality (Hypothetical Contact)

What it measures

Three items measure the extent to which a person imagines a spatio-temporal connection between an object and a fictional or historical character who could plausibly have been near it.

Response format

Response format not stated; likely 7-point

Scale items

• While I was looking at it, I felt as if __________ could have been physically near it.
• While I was in the museum, it made me feel as if __________ could have touched it. [item may be truncated]
• While you were looking at it, how much did you feel as if __________ could have been near it? [item may be truncated]

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Original to Grayson and Martinec (2004). Alpha .91. Item 3 appears truncated—verify full wording against original article. Blanks should be replaced with the fictional or historical character's name.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Grayson, K., & Martinec, R. (2004). Consumer perceptions of iconicity and indexicality and their influence on assessments of authentic market offerings. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(2), 296–312.

Keywords