Chapter 6: Identifying the Sources of Nonequivalence in Measures of Job Satisfaction

The general purpose of this study is to identify the sources of nonequivalence in measures of job satisfaction. We examine the extent to which six popular measures of job satisfaction (Job Descriptive Index; Short-form Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire; Hoppock Job Satisfaction Blank; Brayfield-Rothe Index of Job Satisfaction; Job In General Scale; and a single-item, global measure) measure the same thing, and test three dominant explanations for the nonequivalence of measures: “time-frame orientation”; “alternative combinatory models”; and “omitted facets.” Subjects are 579 employees of a regional healthcare organization in the United Kingdom. Statistical analysis reveals that occupation- and career-related considerations are included within general measures of satisfaction to a greater extent than within the facet-based measures, supporting the “omitted facets” explanation for nonequivalence. Implications for research are discussed.