A test of the homogeneous versus heterogeneous categorization of the repression-sensitization dimension

The Byrne (1961) Repression-Sensitization (R-S) scale was designed to measure psychological defenses ranging from anxiety-avoidance behavior at the low scoring pole, to anxietyapproaching behavior at the high scoring pole. Byrne (1964) has cited consistent support for the relationship between the R-S scale and defensive style, with the repressionsensitization categories to be viewed as homogeneous groupings of individuals lying at the extremes of a dimension of psychological defense. However, a number of recent studies by Schill and his associates (Boor & Schill, 1967; Kahn & Schill, 1971; Lefcourt, 1969; Schill & Althoff, 1968; Schill, Emanuel, Pedersen, Schneider, & Wachowiak, 1970) have shown that the assumption of the homogeneous categorization of the R-S dimension may be faulty and that the repression and sensitization categories as measured by an R-S scale are not homogeneous with regard to several psychometric and behavioral indicators