The DOI matches its Crossref record; 2 of the 2 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Role conflict and role ambiguity: A critical assessment of construct validity.
Abstract
This article appraises the construct validity of role conflict and role ambiguity in organizationa l psychology research by tracing the process of validation from initial theory introduction to the present. Although the theoretical bases for the constructs were relatively well explicated, some conceptual shortcomings have carried over into empirical work. There are problems with the content validity of measures, a lack of convergent and discriminant evidence, and inattention to the full nomological network of hypothesized relationships. Recommendations for future role-conflict and role-ambiguity research are offered. Since their incorporation into the organizational psychology literature in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the role-theory constructs of role conflict and role ambiguity have assumed a prominent position in empirical work. In recent years they have been the focus of three major literature reviews (Fisher & Gitelson, 1983; S. E. Jackson & Schuler, 1985; Van Sell, Brief, & Schuler, 1981), two of which used a meta-analytic approach (Hunter, Schmidt, & Jackson, 1982; Schmidt & Hunter, 1977; Schmidt, Hunter, Pearlman, & Shane, 1979). Although documenting significant correlations between these two role constructs and a variety of other work-related variables, all three reviews lamented, to a greater or lesser degree, inconsistencies in reported study findings. Extrapolating from the three reviews, a primary explanation offered for inconsistent results seems to be that…
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“Role conflicts could arise if the oversight person is at the same time a decision-maker who uses the AI-based system to support their decisions [43].”
From On the Quest for Effectiveness in Human Oversight: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (2024) · cites this paper as [43]
In the citing paper
“King and King (1990, p. 62) went as far as to draw the following conclusion: 'We firmly believe that partial responsibility for the inconsistencies in research findings about role conflict and ambiguity is due to deficiencies in measurement.'”
From A Meta-Analysis of Work Demand Stressors and Job Performance: Examining Main and Moderating Effects (2008) · cites this paper as King & King, 1990
In the citing paper
“There has been considerable criticism and debate in the occupational stress literature about the discriminant, convergent, and predictive validity of the Rizzo et al. (1970) measures”
From A Meta-Analysis of Work Demand Stressors and Job Performance: Examining Main and Moderating Effects (2008) · cites this paper as King & King, 1990
In the citing paper
“relative to the other stressors, role ambiguity is the least likely to have a challenge component because there are fewer coping processes that could possibly counteract its negative effects”
From A Meta-Analysis of Work Demand Stressors and Job Performance: Examining Main and Moderating Effects (2008) · cites this paper as King & King, 1990
In the citing paper
“employees' lack of knowledge of what is expected of them hampers and constricts any purposeful effort on their part to attain performance-related objectives.”
From A Meta-Analysis of Work Demand Stressors and Job Performance: Examining Main and Moderating Effects (2008) · cites this paper as King & King, 1990
Citations
Cites
Construct validity in psychological tests.
Cronbach, L. J., & Meehl, P. E. (1955) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/h0040957 · Cited by 11,195
A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO CONTENT VALIDITY1
LAWSHE, C. H. (1975) · Personnel Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1744-6570.1975.tb01393.x · Cited by 7,313
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“This is often due to ill-defined or ambiguous role descriptions and/or uncertain objectives (King & King 1990: 50).”
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“Role ambiguity is considered to be a more like hindrance stressor as it is less challenging because it is difficult to remove its negative effects (King & King, 1990).”
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“Role overload, which describes when too many role messages occur, was initially proposed to be part of role con fl ict, but was later removed and studied as its own construct (King & King, 1990).”
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“The three most known and effective job stressors are Role conflict, Role Ambiguity and Role Overload (Hall, 1972; Jackson and Schuler, 1985; Bacharach et al., 1990; King and King, 1990; Jex and Beehr, 1991; Hecht, 2001; Koustelios et al., 2004; Pearson, 2008).”
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“Two frequently studied aspects of role stress are role conflict and role ambiguity (King and King 1990).”
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“Role ambiguity materi-alizes in a scenario where two or more roles compete, and one hinders the performance of the other or makes the execution of the other more difficult (King & King, 1990).”
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“For King and King (1990) and Lee (2010), these requirements can also be perceived as pressures or demands on a position.”
BackgroundPavisic, I. (2017) · doi:10.13016/m2qr95
“Role ambiguity occurs when individuals are unclear about their work duties and responsibilities, and when role receivers do not understand the expectations given to them by role receivers (Beehr & Glazer, 2005; King & King, 1990).”
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Conflict Management Interventions During a Service-Oriented TQM Program
Westbrook, K., & Hult, G. (1997) · Marketing Management Journal · doi:10.63963/001c.150714
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“;) and also argued that role overload should be treated as a separate construct (Newton and Keenan, 1987; King and King, 1990; Beehr, 1995; Gonsalez et al. 1998).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialA study of the work role in the context of change management practices in Catholic schools
Hellmuth, W. (2010) · doi:10.4226/66/5a95fea2c6832
“…2006; Bedian & Armenakis, 1981; Biggs & Brough, 2005; Boyar, Maertz, Pearson & Keough, 2003; Clarke, 2001; Elloy & Smith, 2004; Foley & HangYue, 2005; Frone & Rice, 1987; Herst, 2003; Higgins & Duxbury, 1992; King & King, 1990; Madsen, 2003; Perrewe & Hochwarter, 2001; Rizzo et al., 1970).”
Three essays on the career transitions of information technology professionals
Damien, J. (2006) · DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) · doi:10.32657/10356/35949 · Cited by 1
“Role conflict refers to the incompatibility of demands facing the person in a particular role (Cook, Hepworth, Wall and Warr, 1981; King and King, 1990).”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- King, L. A., & King, D. W.
- Affiliations
- Central Michigan University (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Bulletin
- Published
- 1990-01
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 48-64
- ISSN
- 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1455
- OpenAlex
- W2147503805
- Cited by
- 302
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 19.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
- Keywords
- role conflict, role ambiguity, construct validity, role theory, content validity, convergent and discriminant validity, nomological network, self-report measures, psychometric properties, organizational psychology
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