State Hostility Scale (SHOS)
State Hostility Scale (SHOS) used in psychology are essential tools for clinical and research assessments. This post is based on dissertations submitted by students during their academic programs. At ‘Mental Health,’ we arrange and provide these resources to you. Here is the complete list of resources (Click Here). To access these materials, click on the ‘Avail File’ section below.”
Table of Contents
About State Hostility Scale (SHOS)
The State Hostility Scale (SHOS) is a psychological assessment tool designed to measure state hostility, which refers to transient feelings of anger or hostility in response to specific situations or stimuli. Developed by Anderson and colleagues in the 1990s, the SHOS has been instrumental in research on the influence of environmental factors (e.g., temperature, competition) and media exposure on hostility levels.
Purpose of the Tool
The State Hostility Scale (SHOS) serves the following purposes:
- Assessment of situational hostility: It measures temporary states of hostility or aggressive thoughts in individuals.
- Exploration of environmental influences: Used to study how environmental factors, such as temperature, social interactions, and media exposure, contribute to hostile reactions.
- Support for intervention and research: Provides data useful for both psychological interventions targeting aggression and research exploring factors that may increase or reduce hostile affect.
Description of Tool
The SHOS emerged from studies on aggression, where researchers sought to understand the impact of short-term stimuli, such as competitive environments, violent media, and physical discomfort (e.g., heat). Traditional measures often focused on trait hostility—long-standing personality characteristics—while SHOS measures situational hostility, capturing the effects of immediate contexts on an individual’s mood.
The State Hostility Scale (SHOS) includes a series of statements reflecting hostile thoughts, feelings, and cognitions. Participants rate their agreement with each statement, reflecting their immediate emotional state. The scale allows researchers to assess variations in hostility levels in response to experimental conditions or real-life stressors. For example, studies utilizing SHOS have examined how competitive video games or hot temperatures may elevate state hostility.
Psychometric Properties
- Reliability: The SHOS has demonstrated high internal consistency across different studies, reliably measuring state hostility in diverse samples.
- Validity: The scale shows strong construct validity, effectively distinguishing between individuals in different situational contexts (e.g., high vs. low competitive settings).
- Sensitivity: The SHOS is sensitive to experimental manipulations, making it suitable for research in dynamic, short-term hostility fluctuations.
Age Group
The State Hostility Scale (SHOS) is primarily used with adult populations, including young adults to middle-aged individuals. Research has utilized SHOS in both university students and general adult samples, generally within the age range of 18 to 50 years.
References
- Anderson, C.A., Deuser, W.E., & DeNeve, K. (1995). Hot temperatures, hostile affect, hostile cognition, and arousal: Tests of a general model of affective aggression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 434-448.
- Anderson, C.A., & Morrow, M. (1995). Competitive aggression without interaction: Effects of competitive versus cooperative instructions on aggressive behavior in video games. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 1020-1030.
- Anderson, C.A., Anderson, K.B., & Deuser, W.E. (1996). Examining an affective aggression framework: Weapon and temperature effects on aggressive thoughts, affect, and attitudes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 366-376.
- Anderson, C.A. (1997). Effects of violent movies and trait irritability on hostile feelings and aggressive thoughts. Aggressive Behavior, 23, 161-178.
- Anderson, K.B., Anderson, C.A., Dill, K.E., & Deuser, W.E. (1998). The interactive relations between trait hostility, pain, and aggressive thoughts. Aggressive Behavior, 24, 161-171.
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Reference File: Aggression-A42
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