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Developing a Short Affect Intensity Scale.
Maggie Geuens1, Patrick De Pelsmacker
1Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, Ghent University, Belgium. maggie.geuens@vlerick.be
Psychological Reports
|November 6, 2002
Summary
Researchers developed a brief 20-item Affect Intensity Scale, finding it reliable and valid. This shorter version effectively measures affect intensity, offering a practical tool for psychological research.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- The Affect Intensity Measure (AIM) is a 40-item scale assessing the typical intensity of emotional experience.
- Recent criticisms have questioned the assumed one-dimensionality of the AIM scale.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a brief, 20-item version of the Affect Intensity Measure (AIM).
- To investigate the factor structure of both the full and brief scales.
Main Methods:
- The study utilized three samples: 510 Belgian citizens and 204 and 166 university students.
- Factor analysis was employed to examine the underlying structure of the scales.
- Reliability and validity were assessed through correlational analyses and mean score comparisons.
Main Results:
- The Short Affect Intensity Scale (SAIS) demonstrated high correlations with the original AIM (r = .93–.94).
- Mean scores for the SAIS were comparable to the original AIM across samples.
- Factor analysis revealed three underlying factors for the SAIS: Positive Intensity, Negative Affectivity, and Serenity.
Conclusions:
- The 20-item Short Affect Intensity Scale is a reliable and valid measure.
- The SAIS effectively captures affect intensity with a more concise format.
- The identified three-factor structure provides a nuanced understanding of emotional intensity.