Social–Emotional Expertise (SEE) Scale: Development and Initial Validation

Abstract

Social–emotional expertise (SEE) represents a synthesis of specific cognitive abilities related to social interactions, and emphasizes the timing and synchrony of behaviors that contribute to overall social–emotional ability. As a step toward SEE construct validation, we conducted three experiments to develop a self-report measure that captured key elements of our conceptualization of SEE. In Experiment 1, we generated and tested 76 items for a measure of SEE. The resultant 25-item scale is reliable, test–retest: r(80) = .82, p < .001, and internally consistent (Cronbach’s α = .90). Experiments 2 and 3 examined the relationships between the SEE Scale and related constructs. Convergent constructs, such as emotional intelligence, r(885) = .62, p < .01, and social anxiety, r(885) = −.59, p < .01, and discriminant constructs, such as social desirability, r(885) = .19, p < .01, and self-monitoring, r(885) = .28, p < .01, were found to be related in the expected directions. Additionally, two factors were statistically identified: Adaptability and Expressivity. The items contributing to each factor describe the ability to successfully navigate social environments and the ability to successfully convey affect and ideas to other people, respectively. These factors correlate with related constructs in distinct and theoretically relevant ways.