Source Credibility Measure
Measures the perceived credibility of a source (such as a supervisor) across the dimensions of competence, trustworthiness, and goodwill/caring.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Source Credibility Measure was developed by James C. McCroskey & Jason J. Teven (1999). It is designed to measure Source Credibility. The scale is intended for use with Employees / Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 18 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Competence, Caring/Goodwill, Trustworthiness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Competence | 1,2,7,11,13,16 | 6 |
| Caring/Goodwill | 3,5,8,9,15,18 | 6 |
| Trustworthiness | 4,6,10,12,14,17 | 6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Very strong feeling for left option, 2 = Strong feeling for left option, 3 = Fairly weak feeling for left option, 4 = Undecided, 5 = Fairly weak feeling for right option, 6 = Strong feeling for right option, 7 = Very strong feeling for right option.
The scale includes 9 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 6 to 42. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Perceived Credibility: 6 – 18
- Moderate Perceived Credibility: 19 – 30
- High Perceived Credibility: 31 – 42
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of .80 to .94.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.