I am wondering if the typical format of the Likert Scale creates cognitive dissonance for survey respondents. The Likert Scale is bipolar (e.g. Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree) and typically has number coding (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Presumably the middle point (if there is one) indicates a neuteral point between the extremes (e.g. neither agree nor disagree). But if this is true, shouldn't the coding scale run -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 ? From an analysis POV, any number range will do, but I'm wondering if respondents cognitively process different numerals differently. The simplest solution, I think, is to leave out the numerical coding from a survey form and just use the descriptive categories. But where numbers are used, do you think it creates any dissonance for the respondent to see a "3" where there really ought to be a "0"?