The perceptions of social context (PoSC): Introducing the PoSC scale

Introduction: The Perception of Social Context refers to the perceptions that workers have of (1) the immediate supervisor, (2) the colleagues, and (3) top management of their organization. Objective: The purpose of the present paper is to introduce the Perceptions of Social Context (PoSC) scale, an instrument for assessing workers’ perception of their social context. Method: We used three studies (N total = 960) to test the internal, external, convergent, and predictive validity of the PoSC, as well as its reliability. Results: In Study 1, the hypothesized three-factor structure was empirically tested and supported by means of exploratory structural equation modeling. Study 2 provided further support for the factorial structure of the scale and evidence for its convergent and external validity in relation to important organizational variables. Study 3 provided evidence for the predictive validity with respect to job satisfaction and performance. Conclusion: Established validity allows the PoSC scale to be used to specifically detect behaviors enacted by key social constituents and thus to plan specific and therefore more effective interventions.