Emotion Vignettes Scale (EVS)

Abstract

The Emotion Vignettes Scale (EVS), developed by Curlee, McIntosh, and Ahrens in 2023, was designed as a novel psychometric instrument specifically intended to measure the psychological construct of gratitude. Its core objective is to differentiate between two distinct forms of gratitude: that which is experienced in the presence of a specific benefactor and that which arises spontaneously or contextually without an identifiable benefactor.

The scale is comprised of 16 original vignette items and was initially validated using a sample of undergraduate students from a private university in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The foundational research thoroughly reported detailed analyses regarding the instrument’s psychometric properties, including its reliability and validity, to support its application in differentiating these nuanced emotional states.

Keywords

Emotion Vignettes, Gratitude, Benefactor Driven Gratitude Vignette, Gratitude Vignette without a Benefactor, Incremental Predictive Validity, Emotional State Measures, Affective Science.

Authors

Curlee, Millicent S., McIntosh, Elizabeth, Ahrens, Anthony H.

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Purpose

The primary purpose underlying the creation of the EVS is to provide a precise measurement tool capable of distinguishing between varying phenomenological experiences of gratitude. Specifically, the scale aims to isolate and quantify emotional responses related to gratitude that are explicitly directed toward an external agent or benefactor, versus those responses that manifest as generalized appreciation independent of an identifiable source of benefit.

Construct

The EVS is fundamentally designed to measure the psychological construct of Gratitude. By utilizing situational vignettes, the scale investigates the nuances of this emotion, particularly focusing on how the presence or absence of a perceived benefactor influences the intensity and nature of the grateful response.

Validity

The validation process for the EVS included assessments of both Discriminant Validity and Incremental Predictive Validity. A key finding, noted as a limitation by the authors, was the scale’s failure to successfully demonstrate Discriminant Validity, meaning it did not clearly differentiate its predictions of gratitude based on the presence versus the absence of a benefactor within the prompts.

Conversely, the scale demonstrated strong Incremental Predictive Validity. The subscale measuring gratitude without a benefactor successfully predicted momentary gratitude, even after statistically controlling for scores obtained from both the established Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6; McCullough et al., 2002) and the benefactor-driven vignettes.

Reliability

The reliability of the scale was assessed by examining its internal consistency across its derived subscales. The items measuring gratitude responses in scenarios without a benefactor were grouped into the “Gratitude vignette without a benefactor” subscale (NBG-V). This subscale achieved good internal consistency, reporting a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.812.

Similarly, the five vignettes explicitly featuring a benefactor were combined to form the “Benefactor driven gratitude vignette” subscale (BG-V), which also demonstrated good internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.801. These coefficients indicate high reliability for both core components of the instrument.

Factor Analysis

Data concerning the underlying factor structure of the Emotion Vignettes Scale, typically determined through Exploratory or Confirmatory Factor Analysis, was not available or reported in the initial validation study.

Instrument

Test Type: This is an Original instrument, developed specifically for the study published in 2023.

Format: The EVS consists of 16 distinct situational vignettes. Participants respond to each scenario by rating the likelihood that they would experience a range of emotions (including calm, gratitude, obligation, relief, challenge, happiness, pride, and surprise). Responses are captured using a 7-point Likert scale, anchored from 1 (“not likely”) to 7 (“very likely”). The 16 items are structurally divided into six vignettes without a benefactor, five vignettes with an explicit benefactor, and five filler items.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older)

Population Details: The scale was initially validated using a convenience sample of undergraduate students located in the United States.

Test Methodology: The development and evaluation employed rigorous psychometric assessments, including measures of Test Validity (specifically Discriminant Validity and Predictive Validity) and Test Reliability (focusing on Internal Consistency).

Keywords

Emotion Vignettes, Benefactor-less Gratitude, Psychological Measurement, Subscale Reliability, Psychometric Properties, Student Sample.

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Authors

• Curlee, Millicent S.: Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1925-0520

• McIntosh, Elizabeth: Affiliation: American University, Department of Psychology

• Ahrens, Anthony H. (Corresponding Author): Affiliation: American University, Department of Psychology

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (For correspondence)

Correspondence Address: Ahrens, Anthony H.: American University, Department of Psychology, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 20016-8007.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Interested researchers seeking permission to use the Emotion Vignettes Scale (EVS) should direct their inquiries to the Corresponding Author, Anthony H. Ahrens.

Fee: The instrument is non-commercial, and there is currently no fee required for its use in academic research.

Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Curlee, M. S., McIntosh, E., & Ahrens, A. H. (2023). What is gratitude without a benefactor? A daily diary approach. Cognition and Emotion, 37(3), 384–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2022.2162005

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Items of the Emotion Vignettes Scale (EVS)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The specific test items for this measure are not available.