How Relative Is Stress?

Abstract. In self-reports, employees frequently use self-selected social comparisons to assess workplace stressors and resources, but these comparisons vary within and between individuals. This study investigates how standardizing social comparison processes by adding a prescribed comparison to each item affects the reliability and validity of self-report scales measuring work-related stressors and resources and how the standardized comparison affects scale means. A total of 208 employees were randomly assigned to one of two groups, comparing their perceptions to either their direct colleagues or without instructed comparison. The results indicate no effect on reliability, improvement in validity for one scale, and differences in means between groups for stressors and a resource scale. These findings suggest potential benefits and drawbacks of standardized social comparisons in self-report measures.