hysteria scale

n. The third clinical scale on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), which was originally constructed by selecting items answered differently by patients diagnosed as hysterical and visitors to a state hospital. High scorers on the scale are likely to be self-centered, immature, demanding, manipulative and to have emotional outbursts and conversion symptoms. Low scorers on the scale tend to be unadventurous, socially isolated, conforming and to have narrow interests and see life in negative terms.