Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity (Rizzo, House & Lirtzman)
HR & WorkReliability: Conflict alpha 0.82; Ambiguity alpha 0.783 sample items
About this scale
A 14-item measure with two subscales: 8 items for role conflict (incompatible expectations) and 6 items for role ambiguity (unclear expectations). The most widely used scale of role-stressor research and a foundational instrument in the JD-R literature.
Sample item(s)
“I receive incompatible requests from two or more people. (conflict)”
“I have to do things that should be done differently. (conflict)”
“I feel certain about how much authority I have. (ambiguity, reverse)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: Conflict alpha 0.82; Ambiguity alpha 0.78. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Often factor-analysed together with role overload (Beehr et al., 1976) for a 3-factor role-stressor model.
Source & citation
Rizzo, J. R., House, R. J., & Lirtzman, S. I. (1970): Role conflict and ambiguity in complex organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 150–163.
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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