Attitudes towards Ambiguity in Japanese Healthy Volunteers

Abstract

Multi-dimensional structure of the Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale (ATAS: original Japanese version) and its relationship with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ) were investigated. We administered the ATAS and the Japanese version of the AAQ to 1019 Japanese healthy volunteers (513 females and 506 males; age range 18–78 years). Trial of exploratory factor analysis extracted four distinct clusters (Enjoyment; α = .83, Anxiety; α = .75, Exclusion; α = .75, and Noninterference; α = .65) from the ATAS item pool, suggestive of diversity in cognitive/ emotional/ behavioral responses to ambiguity. Confirmative factor analysis showed similar goodness in fit indices between the new four-factor model in the present study and the original five-factor model in our previous study (Nishimura 2007). Considering interpretability by using large number of representative samples with general population in the present study, we adopted the four-factor model. The ATAS Anxiety subscale was negatively correlated with the AAQ willingness subscale (r = −.39, p < .001), while the ATAS Enjoyment subscale was positively correlated with the AAQ Action subscale (r = .40, p < .001). It is thus suggested that one who enjoys ambiguous situations can adopt two distinct attitudes: Excluding ambiguity from active resolution, or not interfering with ambiguity due to good tolerance of this experience, which can lead to positive and flexible commitments in life. In contrast, one who tends to be anxious about ambiguity may be characterized by exclusion-based attitudes due to intolerance of ambiguity, leading to lowered acceptance of their feelings and of the reality of circumstances. Cognitive/emotional attitudes towards ambiguity may affect acceptance of inner experience and active commitment to reality.

Effects of attitudes towards ambiguity on subclinical depression and anxiety in healthy individuals

“…The respondents were divided into those living in Okinawa island ( n = 806) and the main islands of Japan ( n = 213). This study used the same dataset as our previous study (Enoki et al, 2018).…”

“…The anxiety factor (six items) is defined as emotional confusion in being anxious in unfamiliar and complicated situations as well as a difficulty in coping with such situations (Nishimura, 2007). The exclusion factor (four items) consists of rejection of inconsistency (Nishimura, 2007) and decision-making based on dichotomous thinking, mainly from a behavioral perspective (Enoki et al, 2018). The noninterference factor (three items) estimates neutral and passive attitudes, including taking no action and leaving ambiguous situations as they are (Enoki et al, 2018).…”

“…The ATAS is a 25-item, self-rating scale in Japanese (Enoki et al, 2018) that was initially developed by Nishimura (2007). This scale is suitable for assessing attitude patterns about ambiguous situations.…”

“…This scale is suitable for assessing attitude patterns about ambiguous situations. The validity and reliability of the scale have been established (Enoki et al, 2018; Nishimura, 2007). Each item is scored on a 6-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ( strongly disagree ) to 6 ( strongly agree ).…”

“…Based on this suggestion, Nishimura (2007) developed the Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale (ATAS). Recently, Enoki et al (2018) proved a four-factor model of ATAS that included enjoyment, anxiety, exclusion, and noninterference towards ambiguity, which was based on a 2 × 2-dimensional structure consisting of the psychological basis of attitudes (cognitive/emotional vs behavioral) and dynamics of attitudes (active/dynamic vs passive/static). Accordingly, the ATAS can be more useful for clarifying the diversity of cognitive/emotional/behavioral response to ambiguity and its association with symptoms of depression and anxiety than assessments based on the concept of TA.…”