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Abstract
Social learning theory postulates that aggression is learned and elicited through a series of cognitive processes including expectancies, or the various consequences that an individual views as likely following aggressive behavior. The current manuscript describes a measurement development project that ultimately yielded a 16-item measure of positive and negative aggression expectancies suitable for use in adult populations. Across six studies, we took an iterative approach by gathering content from laypersons and experts in aggression research, administering large item pools to several samples, and refining item content through a combination of empirical (i.e., factor loadings, model fit) and conceptual (i.e., content breadth, non-redundancy) considerations. The Aggression Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ) displays a robust four-factor structure, as well as preliminary evidence of convergent and divergent validity with self-reported aggression and relevant personality variables (i.e., antagonism). It is posited that this type of cognitive mechanism may serve as an intermediary link between distal predictors of aggression (e.g., psychopathy, narcissism) and its proximal manifestation.