A method is presented for collecting data which yield a scale on which the entities are ranked in preference and all combinations of value distances are ranked (higher‐ordered metric scale). The method is based on the concept of secondary preference, i.e. preference among preferences. This method is compared with a classical method based on 50–50 game comparison. Two empirical studies are presented. The first examines whether both methods yield the same ordering of value distances. The second involves empirical derivation of a higher‐ordered metric