Normative Beliefs About Aggression Scale (NOBAGS)
Measures an individual's perception of the acceptability of behaving aggressively under varying conditions of provocation and in general.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Normative Beliefs About Aggression Scale (NOBAGS) was developed by L. Rowell Huesmann, Nancy G. Guerra, L. Miller, A. Zelli (1992). It is designed to measure Normative beliefs about aggression. The scale is intended for use with Children, adolescents, and young adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Retaliation Beliefs, General Beliefs.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Retaliation Beliefs | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 | 12 |
| General Beliefs | 13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = It's really wrong, 2 = It's sort of wrong, 3 = It's sort of OK, 4 = It's perfectly OK.
The scale includes 4 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Item scores are averaged to produce a mean score.
Total scores range from 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low approval of aggression: 1 – 2
- Moderate approval of aggression: 2 – 3
- High approval of aggression: 3 – 4
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.