Positive Workplace Gossip
HR & WorkReliability: alpha 0.863 sample items
About this scale
A multi-item measure of positive workplace gossip — informal positive talk about absent third parties. Distinct from negative gossip; can build social capital.
Sample item(s)
“I sometimes hear coworkers praising others when they are not present”
“Coworkers share good news about colleagues during informal conversations”
“Positive talk about colleagues is common in my workplace”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.86. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Counterpart to negative workplace gossip.
Source & citation
Brady, D. L., Brown, D. J., & Liang, L. H. (2017): Moving beyond assumptions of deviance: The reconceptualization and measurement of workplace gossip. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 102, No. 1, pp. 1–25.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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