A scheme for choosing a few individuals whose preferences for given objects are most representative of those of a larger group of individuals is proposed. The method involves ( a ) quantifying the preferences of each individual so as to discriminate optimally among objects, ( b ) testing statistically whether or not a common preference continuum may be assumed for the quantified preferences, ( c ) constructing a linear estimator of values for the objects on this continuum, if it may be assumed, and ( d ) selecting as judges the least number of individuals whose quantified preferences, when used with this estimator, determine values for the objects with acceptable accuracy. A numerical example based on food preferences is presented.
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R. Darrell Bock (1956) studied this question.
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