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Fear Scale
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About Fear Scale
Scale Name
Fear Scale
Author Details
Arnold H. Buss and Robert Plomin
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Fear Scale, developed by Arnold H. Buss and Robert Plomin in 1984, is a self-report subscale of the EASI-III Temperament Scale, designed to assess temperamental fearfulness in adults. It measures the tendency to experience fear or nervousness as a stable personality trait, aligning with temperament theories that link emotional reactivity to behavioral outcomes (Buss & Plomin, 1975). Cited in Buss and Plomin (1984), the scale targets adults and focuses on dispositional fear, distinguishing it from situational anxiety measures.
The Fear Scale originally comprises 5 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = “Extremely uncharacteristic” to 4 = “Extremely characteristic”). Items include “I am easily frightened,” “I often feel insecure,” “I tend to be nervous,” “I have fewer fears than most people my age,” and “When I get scared, I panic.” The item “I have fewer fears than most people my age” is often excluded due to low reliability, resulting in a 4-item scale. Scores are summed (range: 0-16 for 4 items, 0-20 for 5 items), with higher scores indicating greater temperamental fearfulness. Validated in adult samples, the scale is used to assess fear-related temperament, predict emotional reactivity, and inform interventions for anxiety-related issues.
Psychologists, personality researchers, and clinicians use the Fear Scale to evaluate temperamental fear, study its impact on mental health, and design interventions for emotional regulation. Its brevity and focus on temperament are strengths, but the original 5-item scale’s low reliability and English-only availability may limit its use in some contexts.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the scale from authorized sources, such as Buss and Plomin (1984) in Temperament: Early Developing Personality Traits, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses general fearfulness to understand temperament, emphasizing anonymity and using clear, non-judgmental language.
- Provide instructions, asking respondents to rate how characteristic each statement is of themselves, using the 5-point scale, based on general tendencies. Use the 4-item version (excluding “I have fewer fears than most people my age”) for improved reliability.
- Approximate time for completion is 1-2 minutes for the 4-item version or 2-3 minutes for the 5-item version.
- Administer in clinical, research, or educational settings, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment. Oral administration may be used for accessibility.
Reliability and Validity
The Fear Scale has moderate to acceptable psychometric properties, as reported in Buss and Plomin (1984). Internal consistency for the original 5-item scale is low (Cronbach’s α = 0.60), but improves to acceptable (α = 0.72) for the 4-item version after excluding the item “I have fewer fears than most people my age.” Test-retest reliability is high (r = 0.75 over 2-4 weeks), indicating stability.
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as anxiety measures (r ≈ 0.40-0.60) and neuroticism from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (r ≈ 0.50-0.70). Discriminant validity is evidenced by weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, like extraversion (r < 0.20). Criterion validity is demonstrated by predicting emotional reactivity and anxiety-related behaviors in studies. Factor analyses support a unidimensional structure for the 4-item version, enhancing construct validity. The scale’s psychometrics suggest cautious use of the 5-item version, with the 4-item version preferred, ideally paired with measures like the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1983) for comprehensive assessment.
Available Versions
05-Items
Reference
Cheek, J. M., & Buss, A. H. (1981). Shyness and sociability. Journal of personality and social psychology, 41(2), 330.
Cheek, J. M., & Watson, A. K. (1989). The definition of shyness: Psychological imperialism or construct validity. Journal of Social behavior and Personality, 4(1), 85-95.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Fear Scale measure?
It measures temperamental fearfulness in adults.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, personality researchers, and clinicians studying adults.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes 1-2 minutes (4 items) or 2-3 minutes (5 items).
Is the scale specific to certain groups?
It targets adults, with broad applicability in personality research.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, the 4-item version’s acceptable reliability (α = 0.72) supports emotional regulation interventions.
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