Development and validation of an explicit aggressive beliefs and attitudes scale

J Pers Assess. 2014;96(3):327-38. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2013.832260. Epub 2013 Sep 13.

Abstract

This work outlines the development and validation of a new self-report measure that assesses explicit aggressive beliefs and attitudes within the normal adult population (using 7 samples, total N = 3,533). These explicit aggressive beliefs and attitudes are expected to reflect aggressive biases including hostile attribution, potency, retribution, victimization by powerful others, derogation of target, and social discounting. The resulting scale is reliable with a hierarchical 6-factor structure, and displays convergent and discriminant validity. Criterion-related validity studies indicate incremental effects over socially desirable response bias, related implicit and explicit aggression measures, and is predictive of self-reported and other-reported aggression-related behaviors.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aggression / psychology*
  • Attitude*
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Statistical*
  • Neuropsychological Tests / standards*
  • Psychometrics / instrumentation*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Young Adult