Measuring aggression: Self‐reports, partner reports, and responses to provoking scenarios

This paper describes three studies. The first is concerned with the relationship between the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) and a peer‐report version of the AQ (AQ‐P). The results (from a sample of 77 men aged 19 to 55 years) showed agreement between the two versions, thus providing evidence for the congruent validity of the AQ‐P, and good internal consistency was shown for the subscales of the AQ and AQ‐P. The second study involved the development, piloting, and validation of a vignette‐based assessment of aggressive behavior, the Aggressive Provocation Questionnaire. The third concerned the use of the finalised Aggressive Provocation Questionnaire in a sample of 130 men (aged 17 to 54 years). The results show that prior self‐reported aggression (measured by the AQ) predicted responses to provoking scenarios. Younger men (< 28 years) showed an association between physical aggression and the aggressive action scale (of the Aggressive Provocation Questionnaire) in response to provoking scenarios. Older men (> 28 years) showed an association between physical aggression and the assertive action scale. The findings are discussed in relation to aggression measurement and changes in aggression with age. Aggr. Behav. 27:79–101, 2001.