Connotatively Inconsistent Test Items

An item is defined as connotatively consistent (CC) or connotatively inconsistent (CI) when its connotation agrees with or contradicts that shared by the majority of items on a test. This definition is more accurate than what have been referred to as negative versus positive items. The study examined the equivalence of CC and CI items using convenience samples of college students' responses to the Life Orientation Test (Scheier & Carver, 1985). Confirmatory factor analysis results showed that CC and CI items measured correlated but distinct traits. Practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.