Cruel Creativity Delight in Malevolence: Development and Testing of the Malevolent Sadistic Creativity Behavior Tendencies Scale

Abstract

This study developed and validated the Malevolent Sadistic Creativity Behavior Tendencies Scale (MSCBTS), a tool designed to assess the prevalence of malevolent sadistic creativity behavior tendencies in individuals. The scale was administered online, yielding 1197 valid responses. To ensure robust data analysis, the sample was randomly divided into three segments: 25%, 37.5%, and 37.5% of the total sample. The first segment was used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which refined the scale to 11 items distributed across two dimensions: Direct Malevolent Sadistic Creativity Behavior Tendencies (6 items) and Vicarious Malevolent Sadistic Creativity Behavior Tendencies (5 items). The subsequent segments were used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA1 and CFA2), which tested the scale's stability and consistency. Both CFA analyses demonstrated an excellent model fit. Additionally, reliability testing indicated strong internal consistency, with Cronbach's α coefficient and split-half reliability exceeding 0.80 for both the full scale and the two subscales. The MSCBTS also showed significant positive correlations with the Malevolent Creativity Behavior Tendencies Scale, the Chinese version of the Varieties of Sadistic Tendencies Scale, and the Dirty Dozen, further confirming its structural validity. In conclusion, the MSCBTS is a reliable and effective instrument for researching malevolent sadistic creativity tendencies.