Testing Hierarchical Models of Argumentativeness and Verbal Aggressiveness

Abstract

Support was found for a hierarchical model of argumentativeness theory (N = 1541) in which the second-order factors of motivation to argue and verbal aggressiveness exert top-down influence on subsidiary motives and attitudes. Emotional involvement with arguing and emotional involvement with verbal aggressing were added to clarify the originating theory and to improve model fit. The argumentativeness scale was heterogeneous, consisting of distinct ability and motivation to argue factors. Ability to argue had a direct negative effect and an indirect positive effect on verbal aggressiveness, with this positive effect mediated by motivation to argue. The positive effect of motivation to argue on verbal aggressiveness was moderated by college education, suggesting that students acquire a debate schema during their first semesters of college that enables them to better control their arguments, preventing escalation into verbal aggression. The methodological and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Acknowledgments

This article was accepted for publication by David Ewoldsen, prior editor of this journal.

Notes

¹The hypothetical value of .62 was obtained by taking the square root of .38. The assumption that ARGei would have similar effects on ARGap and ARGav was made because it was unclear which of the two would be the larger value.

²A reciprocal transformation was used in order to create an interaction term that represented the dampening effect of college education on the ARGgt-verbal aggressiveness effect. This coding also condensed the lower end of the transformed distribution.