The persuasiveness of racial arguments as a subtle measure of racism

These studies provide evidence of the reliability and validity of a new indirect measure of racism, the Racial Argument Scale (RAS). On the RAS, participants rate how well arguments support conclusions that are positive or negative toward Blacks rather than their agreement with the arguments and conclusions. These studies show that the RAS has good internal consistency, high levels of test-retest reliability, good convergent validity with other self-report measures of racism, and does not correlate with social desirability or right-wing authoritarianism. Furthermore, these studies show that the RAS predicts behavioral measures of racism and that the RAS is able to predict positivity and negativity toward Blacks that is not measured by other self-report measures of racism. These studies suggest that the RAS is a reliable and valid measure of racial attitudes.     

PC anxiety: reliability and validity of a brief scale

A brief six-item scale to measure confidence in the use of personal computers showed Cronbach alpha of .76 for internal reliability and construct validity (r(pb)s of -.16, -.18, -.22 for items of behavioral use).     

Explaining Conservative Beliefs and Political Preferences: A Comparison of Social Dominance Orientation and Authoritarianism

The present study compares the predictive validity of the Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) scale and various measures of authoritarianism, conservative beliefs, and political preferences. In accordance with previous studies, SDO and authoritarianism independently predicted conservative beliefs. Political preferences and extreme right-wing voting was best predicted by SDO. Unlike previous research, high positive correlations between SDO and the various authoritarianism scales were found. The relationship between SDO and authoritarianism is discussed.     

Validité de construit d’une épreuve de jeu de rôle dans le cadre d’un centre d’évaluation chez des officiers de marine.

The present study was designed to obtain validity estimates for a role-play test. Participants were 125 french Navy officers who were rated by a pool of professional assessors and psychologists. All the assessors received reccurring training sessions, focusing on the behavioral checklist, on rating errors, and on share frame of reference. The assessment procedure included role play exercise, cognitive ability scale (g factor) and personality scale (big five factors). First, exploratory factor analyses were conducted on the data gathered, and four factors were identified (authoritarianism, oral communication, consideration with others and frankness). In a nomological perspective, we also analysed the links between the exercises dimensions, personality inventorie and intelligence scale. The findings suggest that role play dimension, personality and intelligence seem to measure different thinks.     

Sexist attitudes and authoritarian personality characteristics among Australian adolescents

This paper examines the suggestion that sexism is a central feature of authoritarianism among young people. One hundred seventeen Australian adolescent schoolchildren completed questionnaires containing Phillips' (1979a, Child Study Journal, 9, 21–35) measure of classical authoritarianism for children and balanced measures of two other aspects of authoritarianism, namely, directiveness, modified from Ray (1976, Human Relations, 29, 307–325) and attitude to authority, modified from Rigby and Rump (1981, Journal of Psychology, 109, 109–118). Factor analyses of the results for classical authoritarianism replicated Phillips' earlier finding with younger schoolchildren that eight items identified as reflecting a sexist attitude loaded substantially on a first varimax rotated factor. These eight items constituted a reliable sexism scale (α = .80), which correlated significantly with the remainder of the classical authoritarianism scale, after controlling for the contribution of age (partial r = .30). However, the partial correlations with balanced measures of directiveness and attitude to authority were not significant. These results suggest that sexism may be one aspect of authoritarianism, rather than a central feature.     

Measuring Prosociality: The Development of a Prosocial Behavioral Intentions Scale

Prosociality is a critical issue in behavioral research. In this investigation, we developed a measure of prosocial behavioral intentions. Qualitative responses from two surveys (n = 465) and items from existing measures were used to generate a list of prosocial behaviors in which people might intend to engage. We factor analyzed responses to these items (n = 319) and retained the most common and representative items. The new measure demonstrated adequate internal consistency (n = 247, 147; α = .81, .83); convergent validity with past prosocial behavior (r = .51, .43), moral identity (r = .50, .55), and materialism (r = –.30, –.20). The instrument also predicted prosocial behavior while controlling for a prior measure of prosocial intentions, Exp(B) = 1.99, Wald = 10.59, p = .001, thereby demonstrating incremental predictive validity. This 4-item scale could be used across contexts to advance the study of prosociality.     

A New Measure of Anti-Arab Prejudice: Reliability and Validity Evidence

Two studies were conducted to provide reliability and validity support for a new anti-Arab prejudice scale. The scale was designed to fit to the European context and showed very satisfactory reliability. Moreover, both studies provided convergent validity support. Anti-Arab prejudice was correlated with authoritarianism, anti-Semitism, and conservatism. The correlation between the new scale and an adapted version of McConahay's (1986 ) Modern Racism scale was very strong. Furthermore, the second study provided predictive validity support. Scores in the new scale explained 20% of the variance in an ulterior actual behavior (to return a signed form supporting an association aimed to defend European values and culture against Islamization).     

Development and validation of a behavioral sex-role inventory

To develop and validate a sex-role inventory of traditional versus nontraditional behaviors for women, 574 single and 265 married females as well as 407 males completed the Robinson Behavioral Inventory (RBI). Thirty-four-item final versions of the two forms were established through criteria requiring items to be both reliable and reported at differential rates by male versus female or by traditional versus nontraditional women. High reliability of the total scale was evident by a measure of internal consistency as well as by a measure of equivalence. The validity of the total scale was established by demonstrating the RBI as positively correlated with an attitudinal measure of women's roles but as showing discriminant validity with a social desirability scale, a political orientation scale, and an assertiveness scale. Age, income, and educational level were used as covariates to partial out possible confounding effects. Future use of the RBI would suggest extending the sample to less well-educated and a greater variety of SES populations and to women who are not members of organizations. The value of the measure lies in the collection of specific behavioral data as distinct from broad attitudinal constructs allowing for determining the attitude-behavior relationship in the area of sex roles. As a tool for evaluating outcome studies measuring changes in sex roles, this inventory is unique.     

A bias-corrected exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of right-wing authoritarianism: Support for a three-factor structure

The factor structure of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) remains a contentious issue. Although designed to measure three underlying attitude clusters, aggression, submission and conventionalism, many items are deliberately double- or triple-barrelled, to capture the covariation of the three clusters in a unidimensional scale. Additionally, although the scale is balanced, there is an item wording direction bias in the clusters; aggression items are pro-trait, and conventionalism items are con-trait. Sub-scale structure is therefore potentially confounded with acquiescence bias. Although RWA as a unitary construct has been an effective tool for exploring prejudice, it would be useful in many cases to measure its underlying components directly. Proposed solutions to this problem include creating short-form scales as subsets of the original scale, or modifying items to simplify and un-confound the structure. We present convergent evidence of an underlying factor structure by considering one-, two- and three-factor solutions to the uncorrected scale and then using an indirect method to correct for acquiescence bias. Before and after correction, factor analysis supported a three-factor solution. Confirmatory factor analyses also support a three-factor solution compared to a one-factor solution.     

The perception of false self scale for adolescents: Reliability,validity, and longitudinal relationships with depressive and anxious symptoms

A scale assessing generalized false self‐perceptions (Perceptions of False Self, POFS) was developed and tested across three studies involving a total of 331 adolescents (11–16 years). In Study 1, interviews were conducted to develop items for the scale. In Study 2, psychometric techniques were used to derive a scale composed of 16 items. Study 2 also assessed the validity of the scale: depressive symptoms were found to increase POFS across 10 weeks, whereas false self‐perceptions had a reciprocal effect on anxiety. In Study 3, the convergent validity of the POFS scale was established. Overall, the evidence suggests that the POFS scale is a reliable and valid measure of generalized false self‐perceptions.     

The personality construct of hardiness, III: Relationships with repression, innovativeness, authoritarianism, and performance

Previous research has established hardiness as a dispositional factor in preserving and enhancing performance and health despite stressful circumstances. The present four studies continue this construct-validational process by (a) introducing a shortened version of the hardiness measure and (b) testing hypotheses concerning the relationship between hardiness and repressive coping, right-wing authoritarianism, innovative behavior, and billable hours (a measure of consulting effectiveness). Results of these studies suggest the adequate reliability and validity of the Personal Views Survey III-R, which is the shortened, 18-item measure of hardiness. Further, results support the hypothesis that the relationship of hardiness is negative with repressive coping and right-wing authoritarianism and positive with innovative behavior and billable hours. Hardiness also appears unrelated to socially desirable responding.     

Refinement of the MMPI-2 F(p) scale is not necessary: a response to Gass and Luis

Gass and Luis (2001) reported that four MMPI-2 Lie scale items contained on the F(p) scale do not measure symptom exaggeration but measure defensiveness. They hold that elimination of the four Lie scale items improves the utility of the F(p) scale in the identification of exaggeration in VA samples. To directly address the assertion that removal of the L scale items from the F(p) scale enhances the predictive validity of F(p), data derived from a previously published study where 74 psychiatric inpatients were asked to retake the MMPI-2 and either feign psychopathology or respond in an honest manner were reanalyzed. The intact F(p) scale demonstrated a stronger correlation with group membership, increased incremental validity, and superior classification rates compared with the F(p) scale without the 4 Lie scale items. Consequently, the F(p) refinement recommended by Gass and Luis is unnecessary.     

The Agoraphobia Scale: an evaluation of its reliability and validity

This article presents the Agoraphobia Scale (AS), and evidence for its reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change after treatment. The scale consists of 20 items depicting various typical agoraphobic situations, which are rated for anxiety/discomfort (0-4) and avoidance (0-2). The results show that AS has high internal consistency. Regarding concurrent validity it correlated significantly with other self-reported measures of agoraphobia (Mobility Inventory and Fear Questionnaire). The scale's predictive validity was shown as it correlated with avoidance behavior and self-rated anxiety during both an individualized and a standardized behavioral test of agoraphobia. The AS also discriminated between an agoraphobic sample and a normal sample, and a sample of simple phobia patients. Finally, it was sensitive to changes after behavioral treatment. The AS is useful both as a state, and as an outcome self-report measure of agoraphobia.     

应聘情境下作假识别量表的开发

在应聘情境中, 被试容易对人格测验作假。应对作假的常用方法是采用社会称许性量表对作假直接测量, 再去校正和识别作假效应。但是采用社会称许性量表测量作假存在很多问题, 因而基于作假的特殊性质开发了《作假识别量表》。采用探索性因素分析证实了量表的单维性, 解释率为54.650%。概化理论检验表明测验信度较好, G系数为0.906, j系数为0.902。采用一个真实的应聘情境检验效度, 发现《作假识别量表》对作假更加敏感, 能够比较充分地测量作假。     

Predicting authoritarian behaviour: analysis of three measures

This study investigated the behavioural validity of three recent measures of authoritarianism, namely, the Right-wing Authoritarianism scale (RWA; Altemeyer, 1981), the Ray (1972) BF scale, and the Ray (1976) Directiveness (DIR) scale. The best predictors of various dimensions of authoritarian behaviour were the RWA and DIR scales, while the BF scale was found to only predict conservative behaviour. These findings are discussed in the light of current research into authoritarianism.     

Family Functioning Assessment in a Community Sample of African American Caregivers and Children

Racial/ethnic minority youth receive approximately half of the mental health services of their non-minority peers. Improved methods for identifying African American families in need of behavioral health services are necessary. The Family Assessment Device and General Functioning subscale have been found to be reliable and able to detect family functioning impairment in a generalized sample, but less is known about the reliability and validity of the assessment with an African American community sample. Data from 53 African American caregiver-child (ages 7–13) dyads was collected including family demographics and the Family Assessment Device General Functioning (FAD_GF) scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the minimal number of FAD_GF items (12 vs. 6 items) that were valid and reliable. The 12-item FAD_GF and the 6-item scale had acceptable psychometric properties, and the 6-item measure demonstrated improved model fit over the 12-item scale and identified more clinically impaired families (6-item: 28% vs. 12-item: 23%). The 6-item measure of family functioning was more sensitive 12-item FAD_GF. This brief measure may prove useful for identifying and assessing African American families.

     

Authoritarianism as a Group Phenomenon

A model of authoritarianism on a group level of analysis based on Duckitt's concept of authoritarianism is presented. This conceptualization is called group authoritarianism (GA), which is defined as the belief about the appropriate relationship that should exist between groups and their individual members. The process model of group authoritarianism connects traditional authoritarianism theories with the Social Identity Approach. According to this model group-authoritarianism reflects the situation-specific activation of an authoritarian disposition in group contexts. Thus, group authoritarianism provides a perspective according to which personality characteristics and general psychological mechanisms described by Social-Identity Theory (SIT) and Self-Categorization Theory (SCT) interact in predicting intergroup hostility and intergroup discrimination. This article describes the development of a group authoritarianism scale as well as an experimental study that tests the main assumption of the group authoritarianism process model. The results confirm the reliability and validity of the group authoritarianism scales and the main hypothesis of the group authoritarianism model.     

Construction and Validation of a Conflict Communication Scale1

A series of studies was conducted in order to construct and validate a measure of interpersonal conflict communication style, the Conflict Communication Scale (CCS). CCS items were designed to reflect variability in approach to conflict situations and to gather information relevant to conflict-related interventions, such as mediation. The measure is comprised of 5 subscales: (a) confrontation, (b) public/private behavior, (c) emotional expression, (d) conflict approach/avoidance, and (e) self-disclosure. Psychometric assessment of the CCS focused on test-retest reliability, social desirability influences, convergent and discriminant validity, discrimination between known groups, concurrent validity, and factor analysis. The resulting scale was found to have high reliability levels, minimal social desirability bias, sensitivity to some cultural differences, and its validity was supported by the majority of validation studies.     

Developing a Measure of Individual Differences in Organizational Revenge

The purpose of this research was to develop a measurement of the individual differences that contribute to acts of organizational revenge and aggression. This scale was designed to achieve three goals: (a) to minimize demand characteristics so that the scale may be useful for personnel selection, (b) to represent a wide range of possible behavioral reactions to organizational injustice, and (c) to represent a range of trust violations committed by organizations that can lead to revenge. Two studies were conducted to reduce the initial 168 items into a 50-item scale containing two conceptually distinct subscales, a 19-item Constructive subscale and a 31-item Destructive subscale. Study 2 provides evidence for the internal reliability of the overall scale and its subscales and also provides some evidence for the construct validity of the final scale. The utility of this instrument for use in personnel selection and for research on workplace aggression is discussed, along with suggestions for additional efforts to demonstrate the validity of this instrument.     

CORRECTIONS FOR THE "ON THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE MMPI" PAPER

Five validity studies of scales in the Study of Imagery are reported. Multistage Bonferroni procedures are used to evaluate significance of results. Scales of superego strength and id derivatives both correlate positively with neuroticism as measured by the Eysenck Personality Inventory. The scale of ego strength correlates positively with a measure indicating aspects of behavioral self-control. The scale measuring sense of identity correlates positively with measures of adaptive ego strength and of behavioral self-control, and negatively with a measure of behavioral conflict and one measure of toughmindedness.