Are You Prone to Aggression? The Buss-Durkee Test and a Bit of Psychology

Aggression isn’t always about fists or shouting. Sometimes it’s a quiet grudge, suspicion, or just an urge to argue with everyone. In psychology, aggression is split into different types: from physical, when you feel like hitting, to verbal, when words become weapons. Then there’s hostility – that feeling when you think the world is against you.

This test was created by two psychologists, Albert Buss and Arnold Durkee, back in 1957. They wanted to help people understand their destructive tendencies to predict when aggression might spiral out of control. The test is called the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, or simply the Buss-Durkee test. It consists of 75 statements where you answer “yes” or “no.” It’s straightforward – just be honest with yourself.

Fun fact from psychology: aggression can be hostile (when you harm others for the sake of it, driven by anger) or instrumental (when it’s a means to an end, like self-defense). Buss and Durkee focused on the former, as it reveals deeper personality issues. They also suggest combining this test with others, like Cattell’s personality test or Lüscher’s color test, for a fuller picture.

But let’s get to it. Here’s the test. Grab a piece of paper, write down numbers 1 to 75, and mark “+” for “yes” or “-” for “no.” Don’t overthink – your first instinct is usually the most honest.

Aggression Level Test

1. At times I can’t control the urge to harm others.
2. Sometimes I gossip about people I don’t like.
3. I get irritated easily but calm down quickly.
4. If I’m not asked politely, I won’t do it.
5. I don’t always get what I deserve.
6. I don’t know what people say about me behind my back.
7. If I disapprove of my friends’ behavior, I let them know.
8. When I’ve managed to deceive someone, I feel guilty.
9. I don’t think I could hit someone.
10. I never get so angry that I throw things.
11. I’m always lenient about others’ flaws.
12. If I don’t like a rule, I want to break it.
13. Others always seem to take advantage of favorable situations.
14. I’m cautious with people who treat me friendlier than expected.
15. I often disagree with people.
16. Sometimes I have thoughts I’m ashamed of.
17. If someone hits me first, I won’t hit back.
18. When I’m annoyed, I slam doors.
19. I’m more irritable than I seem.
20. If someone acts like a boss, I always oppose them.
21. I’m a bit upset about my fate.
22. I think many people don’t like me.
23. I can’t resist arguing if people disagree with me.
24. People who shirk work should feel guilty.
25. Anyone who insults me or my family is asking for a fight.
26. I’m not capable of crude jokes.
27. I get furious when someone mocks me.
28. When people act superior, I do everything to keep them in check.
29. Almost every week, I see someone I don’t like.
30. A lot of people envy me.
31. I demand that people respect me.
32. I feel bad that I do little for my parents.
33. People who constantly annoy you deserve a punch in the nose.
34. I’m never gloomy from anger.
35. If I’m treated worse than I deserve, I don’t get upset.
36. If someone annoys me, I ignore it.
37. Though I don’t show it, I’m sometimes consumed by envy.
38. Sometimes I feel like people are laughing at me.
39. Even when angry, I don’t use harsh words.
40. I want my sins to be forgiven.
41. I rarely fight back, even if someone hits me.
42. When things don’t go my way, I sometimes take offense.
43. Some people irritate me just by being around.
44. There’s no one I truly hate.
45. My rule is: “Never trust strangers.”
46. If someone annoys me, I’m ready to say what I think of them.
47. I do a lot of things I later regret.
48. If I get angry, I might hit someone.
49. Since childhood, I’ve never had outbursts of anger.
50. I often feel like a powder keg ready to explode.
51. If people knew how I feel, they’d think I’m hard to work with.
52. I always wonder what hidden motives people have when they do something nice for me.
53. When someone yells at me, I yell back.
54. Failures upset me.
55. I fight no more or less than others.
56. I can recall times when I was so angry I grabbed something and broke it.
57. Sometimes I feel ready to start a fight first.
58. Sometimes I feel life treats me unfairly.
59. I used to think most people tell the truth, but now I don’t.
60. I only swear when I’m angry.
61. When I do something wrong, my conscience bothers me.
62. If I need to use physical force to defend my rights, I do it.
63. Sometimes I express my anger by banging my fist on the table.
64. I can be rude to people I don’t like.
65. I don’t have enemies who want to harm me.
66. I can’t put someone in their place, even if they deserve it.
67. I often think I’ve lived my life wrong.
68. I know people who could push me to a fight.
69. I don’t get upset over little things.
70. It rarely occurs to me that people are trying to anger or insult me.
71. I often just threaten people without intending to follow through.
72. Lately, I’ve become a grumbler.
73. In an argument, I often raise my voice.
74. I usually hide my bad feelings toward people.
75. I’d rather agree than argue.

Now that you’ve taken the test, let’s calculate your score. Each “yes” on certain questions gives 1 point, and “no” on others also gives 1 point (these are inverted questions). Here are the scales:

How to Calculate Your Results

There are 8 scales. For each, sum the points for the listed numbers:

• Physical Aggression (using force against others): “Yes” on 1, 25, 33, 48, 55, 62, 68; “No” on 9, 17, 41.
• Indirect Aggression (aggression through indirect means, like gossip): “Yes” on 2, 18, 34, 42, 56, 63; “No” on 10, 26, 49.
• Irritation (quick to flare up but quick to cool down): “Yes” on 3, 19, 27, 43, 50, 57, 64, 72; “No” on 11, 35, 69.
• Negativism (always opposing, defiance): “Yes” on 4, 12, 20, 28, 36.
• Resentment (envy, feeling life is unfair): “Yes” on 5, 13, 21, 29, 37, 51, 58; “No” on 44.
• Suspicion (distrust, thinking everyone’s against you): “Yes” on 6, 14, 22, 30, 38, 45, 52, 59; “No” on 65, 70.
• Verbal Aggression (aggression through words, yelling, swearing): “Yes” on 7, 15, 23, 31, 46, 53, 60, 71, 73; “No” on 39, 66, 74, 75.
• Guilt (remorse, regret): “Yes” on 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 47, 54, 61, 67.

Now the main indices:

• Aggression Index = Physical + Indirect + Irritation + Verbal (scales 1+2+3+7). Norm: 21 ± 4 (17 to 25).
• Hostility Index = Resentment + Suspicion (scales 5+6). Norm: 7 ± 3 (4 to 10).

Scale 8 (guilt) isn’t included in the main indices but shows how much you regret your actions.

What Do Your Results Mean?

If your aggression index is above 25, you might flare up easily and act impulsively – like shouting or even pushing. Below 17 – you’re calm like a still ocean, but sometimes it means you’re bottling up emotions.

For hostility: Above 10 – you often feel the world is unfair, people are jealous, or plotting against you. This can make you feel isolated. Below 4 – you’re trusting and optimistic, which is great but sometimes naive.

Interestingly, in psychology, high aggression is linked to stress, while low aggression might suggest passivity. If your scores are high, consider stress-relief methods like exercise, meditation, or talking to a therapist. This test isn’t a diagnosis, just a mirror for self-reflection. If you want to dig deeper, try the other tests I mentioned.

That’s it – now you know yourself a bit better!

References

• Buss, A. H., & Durkee, A. (1957). An inventory for assessing different kinds of hostility. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21(4), 343–349.