A facet theory approach for the psychometric measurement of conflict monitoring

Abstract

We investigated psychometric parameters and the factorial validity of a newly developed conflict monitoring questionnaire (CMQ). Whereas the integrative conflict monitoring theory presumes that higher cognitive demand serves as a teaching signal that intensifies conflict monitoring, the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory predicts that more anxious individuals anticipate more negative consequences because of a more active behavioral inhibition system (BIS). Experimental paradigms on conflict and performance monitoring reveal that the determinants of conflict monitoring imply response patterns (e.g., response adaptation or decisions under uncertainty). Since information processing can be conceived as a combination of stimulus monitoring and response patterns, each item of the CMQ comprises a determinant and a response pattern in accordance with facet theory. A total of N = 666 participants (284 male) filled in the CMQ. We performed a bifactor multiple-indicator-multiple-cause (MIMIC) model to investigate the factorial structure and measurement equivalence for gender and place of research. Our data support a four-factor model with two latent factors demonstrating determinants of conflict monitoring and two latent factors revealing response patterns of conflict monitoring. Moreover, a general performance monitoring factor was confirmed. Measurement equivalence of the latent factors was tested for gender and place of research.