perverseness

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

perverseness
    n 1: deliberate and stubborn unruliness and resistance to
         guidance or discipline [syn: {contrariness}, {perversity},
         {perverseness}]
    2: deliberately deviating from what is good; "there will always
       be a few people who, through macho perversity, gain
       satisfaction from bullying and terrorism" [syn: {perversity},
       {perverseness}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Perverseness \Per*verse"ness\, n.
   The quality or state of being perverse. "Virtue hath some
   perverseness." --Donne.
   [1913 Webster]