Scale Overview
The Communal and Exchange Orientation Scale – COS was developed by Margaret S. Clark, Judson Mills (1979). It is designed to measure Communal and Exchange Relationship Orientations. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 23 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Communal Orientation, Exchange Orientation.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Communal Orientation |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14 |
14 |
| Exchange Orientation |
15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 |
9 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Extremely uncharacteristic of me, 2 = Uncharacteristic of me, 3 = Somewhat uncharacteristic of me, 4 = Neutral, 5 = Somewhat characteristic of me, 6 = Characteristic of me, 7 = Extremely characteristic of me.
The scale includes 12 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified in source text.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.