Hello All,
Can scales for isolation be used in place of scales for the psychological need for relatedness (self-determination theory)? Isolation and frustration of relatedness appear close, but are they interchangeable?
Please advise.
Many thanks!
I suspect there are subtle differences given the literature on ostracism, which I think would apply to isolation. In addition, I think isolation can potentially be interpreted as the absence of need satisfaction if it is interpreted as happening with a measure of control (e.g., I choose to walk alone on the beach) vs. isolation that is controlled by others (e.g., I walked alone because no-one would come with me). An absence of need satisfaction (a need not being met) is not the same as need frustration (the meeting of a need being blocked).
Consider this item from Longo et al.'s (2016) Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale: "On occasions, I feel people are a bit cold towards me". People being 'cold' is active rejection, not just incidental isolation. Think about the difference between being given the silent treatment by someone in the room with you vs. the absence of someone being in a room with you. These situations are qualitatively different. I don't know how well isolation measures vs. relatedness need frustration measures capture such differences.
Thank you so much Guy Curtis !
Beginning to understand the differences you are pointing out to. Incidentally, Longo et al's (2016) scale is one of the scales I was exploring!
In particular, was comparing these two scales:
1. Van den Broeck et al. (2010) - Need for Relatedness Satisfaction, e.g. "I don’t really feel connected with other people at my job", " I often feel alone when I am with my colleagues"
2. Orhan et al. (2016) - Isolation, e.g. "I am isolated from others at work", "I often feel left out", "I often miss having people around me"... and this is for remote working people.
So here I suppose your point on the measure of control would feature? In Orhan et al.'s case, the remote worker is actually physically separated. In Van den Broeck et al's case, the person feels alone whether or not physically separated.
If the research context were remote workers, then might Orhan et al's scale work as a proxy for relatedness? Would really appreciate your thoughts.
(Apologies for greedily taking up your time!)
" In Orhan et al.'s case, the remote worker is actually physically separated. In Van den Broeck et al's case, the person feels alone whether or not physically separated. " - I think this perfectly states what would be a good conceptual distinction between isolation at work and need frustrations work. :)
Unless there's good reason to think otherwise, I'd take the isolation measure as a measure of isolation, and comment in writing up a study using it that there may be a good reason to look at the overlaps and distinction between isolation and frustration of need for relatedness.
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