In a recent study published in ‚Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling,‘ Gebhard Sammer and Annette Kroiß from the University of Gießen introduced a groundbreaking method for capturing the anticipation of social conflicts based on perception. This new picture-based approach is a significant development in the field of social cognition assessment, especially for individuals with psychiatric illnesses.
The researchers highlight the importance of developing a scale that specifically measures social conflict anticipation, as most existing tests in this area are language-based, requiring strong language skills. The ability to perceive social situations accurately is crucial for successful social functioning, and individuals with psychiatric illnesses often struggle with this aspect. Therefore, a test that focuses on social conflict perception can be highly beneficial for clinical purposes.
The proposed test consists of 18 items rated on a 7-point scale, allowing participants to indicate their perceived likelihood of a conflict occurring in a given scenario. Initially, the researchers found that the number of rating categories was not optimal, leading them to reduce the answers to four categories for better analysis. This adjustment improved the validity and reliability of the test, ensuring more accurate results.
Using item response theory (IRT), Sammer and Kroiß conducted a comprehensive item analysis to evaluate the test’s quality and model conformity. The results indicated that the test aligns well with a one-dimensional Rasch model, demonstrating its consistency and effectiveness in measuring social conflict anticipation. This finding underscores the test’s potential for clinical use and theoretical development in understanding social conflicts.
The research findings are detailed in the article titled „Perception-based anticipation of social conflicts (ASK) – IRT analysis of a new image-based method,“ published in ‚Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling.‘ The study provides valuable insights into the assessment of social cognition and the development of innovative methods for measuring social conflict perception. The DOI link provided in the article allows readers to access the full study for further exploration.
Overall, Sammer and Kroiß’s work sheds light on the importance of considering perception-based approaches in assessing social conflicts. By introducing a new image-based method, they offer a unique perspective on understanding and anticipating social conflicts, opening up possibilities for future research and clinical applications in the field of social cognition assessment.
