Scale Analysis

The Communal and Exchange Orientation Scale (CAE-OS) is a psychometric tool designed to assess individuals’ tendencies toward helping and resource exchange in their interpersonal relationships. Specifically, this scale measures two different orientations: communal and exchange.
Communal orientation refers to individuals’ tendency to provide help without expecting anything in return, motivated by improving others’ lives and the sense of satisfaction derived from giving.
Exchange orientation, in contrast, involves providing help with the expectation of receiving something in return, based on the principle of fairness and equity in relationships.
The scale includes statements rated on a Likert-type scale, allowing the quantitative measurement of both orientations. This provides valuable insights into the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. Such insights can be applied in various fields—such as psychology, sociology, and human resource management—to better understand and improve cooperation and social interactions among individuals.

Scale Objective

The purpose of this scale is to evaluate different approaches individuals adopt regarding helping and resource exchange in their interpersonal relationships. More specifically, it seeks to distinguish between two primary orientations:
Communal orientation, where individuals give help without expecting a reward.
Exchange orientation, where help is provided with the expectation of reciprocity.
Through this evaluation, the scale helps uncover the underlying motivations guiding interpersonal behaviors, thereby offering valuable information on the dynamics of social interactions. These insights are useful in diverse fields such as psychology, sociology, and human resource management, contributing to the improvement of interpersonal relationships and group collaboration.

Scale Calibration

The CAE-OS-23 consists of 23 items, which are rated as follows:
1 = Strongly disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neither agree nor disagree
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly agree

References

Clark, M., Ouellette, R., Powell, M., & Milberg, S. (1987). Recipient’s mood, relationship type, and helping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 94–103.
Clark, M., & Finkel, E. J. (2005). Willingness to express emotion: The impact of relationship type, communal orientation, and their interaction. Personal Relationships, 12, 169–180.
Clark, M., & Mills, J. (2012). A theory of communal (and exchange) relationships. In P. Van Lange, A. Kruglanski, & E. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 232–251). London: SAGE Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249222.n38