Scale Overview
The Relational Ethics Scale (RES) was developed by Hargrave, T. D., Jennings, G., & Anderson, W. T. (1991). It is designed to measure Relational Ethics. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 24 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Vertical Trust and Justice, Vertical Loyalty, Vertical Entitlement, Horizontal Trust, Horizontal Loyalty, Horizontal Entitlement.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Vertical Trust and Justice |
1,2,7,8,10,12 |
6 |
| Vertical Loyalty |
3,5,11 |
3 |
| Vertical Entitlement |
4,6,9 |
3 |
| Horizontal Trust |
14,16,18,20,23,24 |
6 |
| Horizontal Loyalty |
13,17,21 |
3 |
| Horizontal Entitlement |
15,19,22 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
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.
Total scores range from 24 to 120. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Relational Ethics: 24 – 56
- Moderate Relational Ethics: 57 – 88
- High Relational Ethics: 89 – 120
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 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.