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Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (HPRS)

Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (HPRS) Test

Understand how strongly you push back when rules limit your freedom in just 3 minutes. Get a clear autonomy profile to improve teamwork, ease conflict, and guide coaching.

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Questions: 143 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

30,000 views

3,497 completions

3,038 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/5

Psychological Reactance (PR)

Measures the tendency to experience psychological resistance when external rules, pressure, or control restrict personal autonomy.

Low resistance

Balanced resistance

High resistance

1 – 2.6: Low resistance | 2.7 – 3.9: Balanced resistance | 4 – 5: High resistance

A score of 4 indicates a high tendency to push back against constraints and to prioritize personal autonomy when facing external demands.

example score

12/15

Emotional Response to Restricted Choice (ERtRC)

Measures how strongly a person emotionally reacts when their freedom of choice is restricted.

Low sensitivity

Moderate sensitivity

High sensitivity

3 – 7: Low sensitivity | 8 – 11: Moderate sensitivity | 12 – 15: High sensitivity

A score of 12 falls in the High sensitivity range, suggesting a pronounced emotional response to choice restrictions and a stronger drive to protect personal autonomy in such situations.

example score

10/15

Resistance to Advice and Recommendations (RtAaR)

Measures how strongly a person tends to reject advice and recommendations from others in situations that may feel autonomy-limiting.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 7: Low | 8 – 11: Moderate | 12 – 15: High

A score of 10 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting you may often prefer deciding independently while still being able to consider others' recommendations in some contexts.

example score

12/15

Resistance to External Influence (RtEI)

Measures the tendency to resist external attempts to influence or control one’s decisions and behavior.

Low

Moderate

High

3 – 7: Low | 8 – 11: Moderate | 12 – 15: High

A score of 12 falls in the High range, suggesting a pronounced tendency to maintain autonomy and push back against external influence.

example score

12/20

Reluctance to Comply With Rules and Norms (RtCWRaN)

Measures how strongly a person tends to resist established rules and social norms when they feel their autonomy is constrained.

Generally compliant

Selective resistance

Strong resistance

4 – 9: Generally compliant | 10 – 14: Selective resistance | 15 – 20: Strong resistance

A score of 12 indicates a moderate level of unwillingness to comply, suggesting you may question or resist rules in situations where they feel restrictive but do not consistently oppose them.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Team leads and HR

41%OF USERS

They use it to spot who may push back against rules or change, so they can reduce friction and improve collaboration.

People in workplace conflict

34%OF USERS

They take it to understand why they react strongly to restrictions and how to respond more effectively in tense situations.

Coaches and trainers

25%OF USERS

They use it to tailor communication and exercises for groups where autonomy and group demands often collide.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Mercer-Hong Reactive Resistance Scale (MRRS)

Average

3.7

Normal range

3.1 — 4.3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Emotional Reaction to Choice Restriction (ERtCR)

Average

8.6

Normal range

6.6 — 10.7

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Resistance to advice and recommendations (Rtaar)

Average

6.5

Normal range

4.9 — 8.2

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Resistance to External Influence (RtEI)

Average

10.5

Normal range

8.5 — 12.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Unwillingness to comply with rules and norms (Utcwran)

Average

8.9

Normal range

6.9 — 10.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this scale measure?

It measures reactive resistance, or the tendency to push back when personal freedom is limited for group or social demands. Results reflect the strength of autonomy defense in these situations.

What types of situations should be considered when answering?

Consider situations where personal preferences conflict with rules, requests, or expectations set by a group, workplace, or society. Use typical patterns of response rather than a single unusual event.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Completion time is about 3 minutes. The scale includes 14 items.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best matches the usual reaction in similar situations. Avoid choosing based on what seems socially acceptable.

How should the results be interpreted and used?

Scores summarize the relative level of reactive resistance and can inform communication, conflict management, and intervention planning. Results are not a clinical diagnosis and should be interpreted in context.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (HPRS) Test - Symptoms and Signs

decision making

This self-report measure evaluates individual differences in psychological reactance, or the tendency to experience resistance when personal freedoms are perceived as threatened. The Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (HPRS) is commonly used to characterize autonomy-related responses that may influence engagement with guidance, rules, or interpersonal influence attempts.

The instrument consists of 14 items and typically requires about 3 minutes to complete. Items ask respondents to rate how well statements describe their usual reactions, yielding a score that can support clinical formulation and research related to compliance, persuasion, and conflict around perceived restrictions.

Originally associated with work by Sharon S. Brehm and Jack W. Brehm, the Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (HPRS) is intended for use as an assessment of a dispositional construct rather than a diagnostic tool, and results should be interpreted in the context of other clinical information.

Author: Jack W. Brehm, Sharon S. Brehm

Literature: Brehm, S. S., & Brehm, J. W. Psychological reactance: A theory of freedom and control. Academic Press. 1981.; Hong, S.-M., & Page, S. A psychological reactance scale: Development, factor structure and reliability. Psychological Reports. 1989.

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