Matthew J. Monnot, PhD

Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal With Supervisor (RISCS): Scale Development and Conditional Model of Meaningfulness at Work (2016)

Author: Matthew J. Monnot
Journal: The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 19(2), 61–90
DOI: 10.1037/mgr0000043

1 · TL;DR

This article develops a brief scale for Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal With Supervisor (RISCS) and tests a conditional model of how supervisor communication and social status shape meaningfulness at work.

Key idea: for employees with lower general social status, communication with a higher-status supervisor can act as a powerful form of social support, increasing meaningfulness at work by strengthening relational identification.

2 · Methodology (Technical)

  • Design: Two-study paper.
  • Study 1 – Scale Development:
    • Developed and refined the RISCS scale to capture relational identification with one’s supervisor.
    • Item analyses and factor structure checks to produce a brief, psychometrically sound measure.
  • Study 2 – Conditional Process Model:
    • Sample size approximately n = 900+ employees.
    • Variables:
      • Supervisor communication (positive, non-work, and negative communication).
      • RISCS (relational identification with supervisor).
      • General social status.
      • Meaningfulness at work.
    • Analyses:
      • Conditional process modeling using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.
      • Tested moderated mediation: communication → RISCS → meaningfulness, with social status moderating parts of this path.¹

3 · Methods in Plain English

The paper asks:

When does communication with a supervisor help people feel their work is meaningful?

First, it creates a short questionnaire (RISCS) that captures how much employees define themselves in terms of their relationship with their supervisor.

Then it tests a model where:

  1. Different types of communication with the supervisor (positive, non-work related, negative) influence how strongly employees identify with that supervisor.
  2. That relational identification, in turn, predicts how meaningful they perceive their work to be.
  3. The strength of this indirect path depends on the employee’s overall social status (people lower in general status benefit more).

4 · Key Findings & Nuances

  • The RISCS scale functions well as a brief measure of relational identification with a specific role partner (the supervisor).
  • Communication with the supervisor (even some forms of negative communication) can act as social support for lower-status employees when it signals recognition and relational connection.
  • The indirect effect of communication on meaningfulness via RISCS is strongest at lower levels of social status and becomes weaker or nonsignificant at higher status levels.
  • This helps explain mixed findings in the social-support literature: the meaning and impact of “support” depends on:
    • The status differential between parties,
    • The employee’s broader social standing,
    • The relational identity they derive from that connection.

5 · Implementation Ideas

For Leaders & HR

  • Train supervisors to understand that:
    • For some employees, any thoughtful communication from a higher-status leader can be highly meaningful.
    • For others with higher social standing, the same behavior may be less impactful.
  • Encourage supervisors to:
    • Use positive and developmental communication,
    • Be mindful that ignoring lower-status employees can be more harmful than they realize.

For People Analytics

  • Use RISCS-style items to assess relational identification with leaders as part of engagement or leadership surveys.
  • Model:
    • Supervisor communication → relational identification → meaningfulness,
    • With social status proxies (e.g., job level, educational attainment) as moderators.

For OD / Coaching

  • In leadership coaching, frame relationship-building with lower-status employees as a meaning-making tool, not just a nicety.
  • Design interventions where supervisors:
    • Engage intentionally with those who may feel less visible,
    • Explore how their communication patterns differ by employee status.

6 · Endnotes (APA Style)

  1. Monnot, M. J. (2016). Relational-Interdependent Self-Construal With Supervisor (RISCS): Scale development and conditional model of meaningfulness at work. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 19(2), 61–90. https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000043
  2. Hayes, A. F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis. New York, NY: Guilford Press.