What does potential for hostility measure? Gender differences in the expression of hostility.

We examined the construct validity of Potential for Hostility (PH) for healthy undergraduate males and females. In Study 1, 45 males and 76 females were rated for PH. Subjects then completed the Cook Medley Hostility Scale (Ho) and a trait negative affectivity (NA) scale. For males, PH correlated with Cynicism, a subscale of the Ho, but was unrelated to NA. However, for females, PH was unrelated to self-reported hostility and minimally related to NA. In Study 2, 52 males and 91 females again were rated for PH in addition to state NA; subjects also provided self-reported state NA and PH measures. For males, convergence was found between observed and self-reported PH scores, but no such relation was found for females; only self-reported and observed state NA predicted females' PH rating. Thus, the Structured Interview method of hostility assessment may not be measuring the same hostility construct in females as it is in males.