The basic steps of the Q sorting procedure are as follows. A heterogeneous SET of items (called a Q sample) is drawn from the concourse. A group of respondents (P set) is instructed to rank-order (Q SORT) the Q sample along a standardized continuum according to a specified condition of instruction. Participants do this according to their own likes and dislikes thus according to their own 'psychological significance'. The resulting Q sorts are submitted to correlation and factor ANALYSIS. INTERPRETED results are factors of 'operant subjectivity'.

The basic steps of the Q sorting procedure are as follows. A heterogeneous set of items (called a Q sample) is drawn from the concourse. A group of respondents (P set) is instructed to rank-order (Q sort) the Q sample along a standardized continuum according to a specified condition of instruction. Participants do this according to their own likes and dislikes thus according to their own 'psychological significance'. The resulting Q sorts are submitted to correlation and factor analysis. Interpreted results are factors of 'operant subjectivity'.