This article from Rick More, Card Sorting outside UX: How I use online card sorting for in-person sociological research, describes ways to use survey instruments like Qualtrics to understand people’s mental models and preferences.

Card-sorting means putting different concepts, images, or words on separate cards (virtual or real) and then having users arrange them into clusters that you’ve pre-defined or that they define. It helps you to understand what they’re thinking, what they prioritize, and what they associate with each other.

You can do it with a tablet or a computer, or in person.