The Attitude Toward Conflict scale (ATC) is a psychological assessment tool designed to measure an individual’s attitude toward conflict. It was developed by researchers at the University of Michigan in the 1970s and has since been used in a variety of contexts, including organizational management and interpersonal relationships. The ATC consists of 24 items that measure an individual’s attitudes toward conflict. These items are divided into four subscales: avoidance, competition, accommodation, and collaboration. Each subscale measures a different attitude toward conflict, and the overall score is used to measure an individual’s overall attitude toward conflict. The avoidance subscale measures an individual’s tendency to avoid conflict. Individuals who score high on this subscale tend to avoid conflict and prefer to maintain the status quo. The competition subscale measures an individual’s tendency to view conflict as a competition. Individuals who score high on this subscale tend to view conflict as an opportunity to win or gain an advantage. The accommodation subscale measures an individual’s willingness to compromise in order to reach a resolution. Individuals who score high on this subscale tend to be more willing to compromise and find common ground. Finally, the collaboration subscale measures an individual’s tendency to work together with others to reach a resolution. Individuals who score high on this subscale tend to be more open to collaboration and cooperation. The ATC is a useful tool for understanding an individual’s attitude toward conflict. It can be used to identify individuals who are more likely to engage in constructive conflict resolution and those who are more likely to avoid or escalate conflict. It can also be used to identify areas of potential improvement in an individual’s attitude toward conflict. By understanding an individual’s attitude toward conflict, organizations can better manage conflict and create a more productive work environment.
DESCRIPTION
These items measure attitudes toward the use of violence in response to disagreements or conflicts. Can be administered in a classroom setting.
KEYWORDS
This tool touches on the following keywords:
· Conflict
WHERE TO FIND OR DOWNLOAD
This instrument can be found on pages 25 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf .
FEES AND REQUIREMENTS
None noted.
AGE RANGE
Sixth grade students in an urban setting.
HOW TO ADMINISTER AND SCORE
This scale can be scored by summing the point values of the responses from a participant. If one or two responses are left blank‚ the average of the point values for the remaining items should be multiplied by eight to calculate a pro-rated score. The scale should generally not be scored if more than two responses are left blank.
A maximum obtainable score of 32 indicates a strong favorable attitude toward using violence to resolve disagreements or conflicts. A minimum score of 8 indicates a strong negative attitude toward using violence.
Point values are assigned as follows:
Strongly agree = 5
Agree = 4
Neither = 3
Disagree = 2
Strongly disagree = 1
SoUrce
Lam‚ J.A. (1989). School mediation program evaluation kit. Amherst‚ MA: National Association for Mediation in Education.
Lam JA. School mediation program evaluation kit. Amherst‚ MA: University of Massachusetts‚ Student Affairs Research and Evaluation Office‚ 1989. (Unpublished)
Attitude Toward Conflict
1. If I’m mad at someone I just ignore them.
2. Even if other kids would think I’m weird I would try to stop a fight.
3. It’s O.K. for me to hit someone to get them to do what I want.
4. Sometimes a person doesn’t have any choice but to fight.
5. When my friends fight I try to get them to stop.
6. There are better ways to solve problems than fighting.
7. I try to talk out a problem instead of fighting.
8. If people do something to make me really mad‚ they deserve to be beaten up.
Cite this article
mohammad looti (2026). Attitude Toward Conflict scale. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/attitude-toward-conflict/
mohammad looti. "Attitude Toward Conflict scale." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 18 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/attitude-toward-conflict/.
mohammad looti. "Attitude Toward Conflict scale." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/attitude-toward-conflict/.
mohammad looti (2026) 'Attitude Toward Conflict scale', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/attitude-toward-conflict/.
[1] mohammad looti, "Attitude Toward Conflict scale," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
mohammad looti. Attitude Toward Conflict scale. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.