Control, denial, and heightened sensitivity reactions to personal threat: testing the generalizability of the threat orientation approach.
The threat orientation model proposes three dispositional responses to threats: control, heightened sensitivity, and denial. Two studies explored the psychometric properties of the previously developed threat orientation scales and the relationship between the orientations and the responses to a variety of threats. Study 1 found that the control-based and heightened sensitivity-based scales are reliable and were related to perceptions of health, financial, and terrorist threats with a nationally representative sample. Findings held across gender, age, and ethnic groups. Furthermore, Study 1 suggested two types of denial processes: optimistic denial and avoidance denial. Study 2 used a diverse sample to gain additional evidence for two processes of denial and developed measures of each type.
Thompson
Suzanne C
SC
Department of Psychology, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA. Suzanne.Thompson@pomona.edu
Schlehofer
Michèle M
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression; D001290:Attitude; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011584:Psychology / Q000379:methods; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D012938:Social Perception