THE PREDICTABILITY OF DISCREPANCY MEASURES OF ROLE CONSTRUCTS

Abstract

Ratings of effectiveness of critical work behaviors of the job of patrol officer were used to study role ambiguity and role conflict. Patrol officers (n= 53), who had volunteered for the project, completed: (a) effectiveness ratings of 45 critical incidents written for the job of patrol officer; (b) a role incumbent questionnaire on ambiguity and conflict (Rizzo, House, and Lirtzman, 1970); peer ratings using behavioral expectation scales; and (c) the Job Descriptive Index (Smith, Kendall, and Hulin, 1969). Sixteen sergeants who supervised the above officers also made effectiveness ratings of the same 45 critical incidents for the job of patrol officer and completed performance evaluations of the 53 officers using a mixed‐ standard scale and an overall graphic scale. Sixteen additional patrol officers completed peer ratings on 16 officers who could not be rated by volunteers. An operational measure of role ambiguity was derived by taking the square of the differences in the effectiveness ratings of each of the 45 critical incidents by each officer and his/her sergeant. An operational measure of role conflict was derived by taking the square of the difference in effectiveness ratings of the 45 critical incidents between the sergeant and a partner of the focal person. Results indicated the discrepancy measure of ambiguity was significantly related (p <.05) to the sergeants' overall performance ratings, satisfaction with the work itself, and satisfaction with supervision. The discrepancy measure of conflict was not significantly related to any organizational outcomes. The Rizzo et al. (1970) ambiguity and conflict scales were significantly correlated with the sergeants' overall rating and job satisfaction with the work itself and supervision. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the Rizzo et al. measures and the discrepancy measure of ambiguity all contributed independent, significant portions of the explained variance in the sergeants' overall performance ratings and in patrol officer satisfaction with work and supervision.

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