Purpose

The purpose of this scale is to record the levels of aggressive fantasy.

Analysis

Aggressive fantasies are related to low agreeableness and high neuroticism, which makes sense, as low agreeableness is associated with anger, hostility, and confrontation toward others, and it is also linked to “dark” traits such as psychopathy, as well as antisocial behavior in general (Jones, Miller, & Lynam, 2011). Neuroticism, on the other hand, is associated with many psychological issues, such as rumination on distressing events and negative emotions in general. Both low agreeableness and high neuroticism are associated with both forms of aggressive behavior in the study, so it is likely that individuals who tend toward anger, hostility, and harsh emotions are more likely to focus on fantasies of harming those who have wronged them (reactive aggression) or those they consider suitable victims (proactive aggression). These fantasies may mentally prepare them for aggressive behavior that they later enact.
This scale measures levels of aggressive fantasy, validated against peer-rated measures of aggression. It was originally developed for children but has been modified for adolescents.

Calibration

The scale consists of three subscales. All items are scored using a 3-point scale:
No = 1
A little = 2
A lot = 3
The points for all items are added together, with total scores ranging from 0 to 14. A high score indicates a high level of aggressive fantasies, while a low score indicates a low level.

References

Huesmann, L.R., & Eron, L.D. Television and the Aggressive Child. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, 1986.