Multi-dimensional Structure of Attitudes towards Ambiguity

Abstract

Research on attitudes towards ambiguity has centered around intolerance of ambiguity, which saw the attitudes as negative and one-dimensional. The purposes of this study were to develop a scale to measure attitudes towards ambiguity from multi-dimensional view, and to examine the relationship between the attitudes and adaptation. In Study 1, factor analysis was performed to examine factor structure of Attitudes towards Ambiguity Scale. Results showed that the attitudes consisted of the following multiple aspects, which were both positive and negative: enjoyment, anxiety, reception, control, and exclusion. In Study 2, to examine the relationship between them and adaptation, we investigated obsessive compulsive and depressive tendencies, as well as attachment styles in adaptation index. Results showed that negative attitudes towards ambiguity had a correlation with each of the followings: obsessive compulsion, depression, and insecure attachment style. In addition, the positive ones showed a correlation with secure attachment style. In conclusion, different aspects of attitudes towards ambiguity showed different patterns of relationship with adaptation.View full abstract