Hong Psychological Reactance Scale

What it measures

Measures trait psychological reactance — the stable tendency to resist perceived threats to behavioural freedom and assert autonomy when an external source attempts to restrict or direct one's choices. Based on Brehm's (1966) Reactance Theory. In advertising research, high-reactance consumers respond negatively to strong directives and calls-to-action, bumerang against forceful persuasion attempts, resist prescriptive health messages, and show paradoxical responses to prohibition-framed appeals (forbidden fruit effects). Understanding reactance is critical for message framing — advertisers must avoid triggering freedom threats in high-reactance segments. Reactance also predicts resistance to influencer endorsements, ad avoidance, banner blindness, and scepticism toward sponsored content.

Response format

Likert (1–5, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

• I find contradicting others stimulating.
• When something is prohibited, I usually think 'that's exactly what I am going to do'.
• I resist the attempts of others to influence me.
• I consider advice from others to be an intrusion.
• I become angry when my freedom of choice is restricted.
• Regulations trigger a sense of resistance in me.
• I find it difficult to follow the advice of others.
• When I am told what to do, I often feel like doing the opposite.
• I become frustrated when I am unable to make free and independent decisions.
• It irritates me when someone points out things that are obvious to me.
• I am content to follow the direction of others. (R)
• I am confident in my ability to decide things for myself.
• When someone forces me to do something, I feel like doing the opposite.
• It bothers me when someone is very persistent in trying to get me to do something.

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

Usage notes & scoring

Three subscale scores. High-reactance consumers require autonomy-supportive message framing (e.g., 'you might consider...' rather than 'you must...'), freedom restoration cues, and minimal directives. Particularly relevant for public health campaigns, financial advice advertising, and social marketing. Dillard & Shen (2005) Psychological reactance as a combined emotional and cognitive state scale is a related state-level measure for experimental contexts.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Hong, S.M., & Faedda, S. (1996). Refinement of the Hong psychological reactance scale. European Journal of Personality, 10(1), 19–29.

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