Harmfulness of the Reported Issue

What it measures

The scale assesses perceived severity of a described problem across three paired-adjective items. Because it doesn't specify who or what is harmed, it flexibly applies across contexts ranging from corporate wrongdoing to environmental or interpersonal harm.

Response format

7-point Likert (1=strongly disagree, 7=strongly agree)

Scale items

• not at all harmful / very harmful
• not at all severe / very severe
• a minor problem / a major problem

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Xu, Bolton, and Winterich (2021) appear to have created this scale themselves; a three-item version and a shorter two-item version were both used across studies, with alphas of .87–.92 for the three-item version. The scale doesn't specify who or what is harmed, so this should be made explicit in the instructions or context when adapting it. Validity wasn't separately assessed.

Citation

Xu, H., Bolton, L.E., & Winterich, K.P. (2021). How Do Consumers React to Company Moral Transgressions? The Role of Power Distance Belief and Empathy for Victims. Journal of Consumer Research, 48(1), 77–101.

Keywords