Development and Initial Validation of the Willingness to Compromise Scale

Abstract

This study introduced an individual difference construct of willingness to compromise and examined its implications for understanding and predicting career-related decisions in work settings. In Study 1 (N ¼ 53), critical incidents of career decisions were analyzed to identify commonalities across different types of career-related compromises. In Study 2 (N ¼ 171), an initial 17-item scale was developed and revised. In Study 3 (N ¼ 201), the convergent and criterion-related validity of the scale was examined in relation to specific personality traits, regret, dealing with uncertainty, career adaptability, and a situational dilemma task. Willingness to compromise was negatively related to neuroticism, and positively related to dealing with uncertainty, openness to experience, and career adaptability; it also predicted responses to the situational dilemma task. Results provided support for the reliability and validity of the scale.

Vocational Identity and Career Progress: The Intervening Variables of Career Calling and Willingness to Compromise

“…We coded all items so that higher total scores represented a greater willingness to compromise. Wee (2013) reported an α of .77 and supported construct validity by finding positive associations between the scale and career adaptability. The α value in our study was .76.…”

“…Compared to making decisions that satisfy, decisions that maximize require more time, effort, and consideration and are more likely to involve active coping strategies (Schwartz et al, 2002). Consistent with this, decisions that maximize, for example, lead to more successful career outcomes (Iyengar, Wells, & Schwartz, 2006), generate more commitment to the goal on the part of the decision maker (Sparks, Ehrlinger, & Eibach, 2012), and are less likely to involve compromise (Wee, 2013). As individuals with “a clear and stable picture of [their] goals, interests, and talents”—that is, a more well-developed vocational identity (Holland et al, 1980, p. 1191)—are in a better position to, and more likely to want to, maximize their outcomes than those with a less well-developed identity, they will put more time and energy into their decisions and will be less likely to compromise on them.…”

“…Willingness/unwillingnes to compromise. We used the 9-item Willingness to Compromise Scale (Wee, 2013), which taps respondents' manner for dealing with uncertainties (e.g., "I stick with my career goals, even when others might think that the goal is not very feasible"; response options 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). We coded all items so that higher total scores represented a greater willingness to compromise.…”

“…Career compromise can be considered as settling for a less-than-ideal career option (Creed & Gagliardi, 2014), while willingness/unwillingness to compromise refers to the individual's preparedness to accept such a downgrade (Wee, 2013). As young people develop, think about, and make decisions regarding their career direction and future, many career-related compromises have to be made.…”

The Impact of Information Sources on Covid-19 Knowledge Accumulation and Vaccination Intention

“…We measured resistance to change, a construct that has been found to differentiate between liberals and conservatives (Jost et al, 2003). The measure was adapted from the Willingness to Compromise Scale (Wee, 2013), and was computed as the average response to the 3-item scale ("I would stick to my beliefs even when others might think that they are not reasonable. ", "Reality constraints should not stand in the way of one's beliefs.…”