Measuring the Influence of Environment on Behaviour: A Multimethod Multisample Validation of the Situational Strength at Work (SSW) Scale in Spanish-Speaking Samples

Abstract

Environment and personality interact determining the manner a subject behaves, but research on how to conceptualise and measure the environment is still scarce. This article addresses this issue presenting strong evidence on the reliability and validity of the Situational Strength at Work (SSW) Scale (Meyer et al., 2014) in Spanish-speaking work contexts. Through three studies, we found sound evidence for the four-factor structure of the situational strength’s construct, comprising clarity, consistency, constraints, and consequences, with adequate reliability for each factor. Results of studies also found that the instrument is invariant according to sex, country (Spain, Ecuador, Mexico), and occupation (salespeople, teachers, office workers). Convergent and discriminant validity were successfully tested, and exploratory graphical network analysis depicted satisfactory results. Theoretical and practical implications are pointed out, and it is concluded that the SSW scale is a suitable instrument for investigating situational strength at work cross-nationally in Spanish-speaking contexts.

Keywords

• situational strength
• validation
• reliability
• invariance
• spanish language