Heterosocial Competence

Abstract

Relatively few studies have evaluated the validity of the various measures used to assess social competence. This study evaluates the predictive validity of the Social Activity Questionnaire and the convergent and discriminant validity of various measures of heterosocial skill and anxiety. The sample consisted of 51 male under-graduates meeting high-dating/low-anxiety criteria and 42 males meeting low-dating/high-anxiety criteria. Multiple measures included a variety of frequently employed self-report measures, global ratings by others of skill and anxiety, specific behaviors, and heart rate. The Social Activity Questionnaire significantly differentiated both criterion groups on several measures. Intercorrelation among all measures reveals a consistent pattern of higher correlations within self-report measures. Issues discussed include method variance, validity, a multiconstruct-multimethod matrix, and average intercorrelations within method, situation, and construct. Suggestions for future research are presented.