Developing a measure of perceived ‘sink or swim’ socialization

Abstract

While ‘sink or swim’ training is a well-known concept to practitioners, it has not garnered much attention within an academic setting. ‘Sink or swim’ can be described as a form of training by default, where an individual must take steps to socialize themselves. This research aimed to operationalize ‘sink or swim’ as a 3-factor construct made of ‘responsibility,’ ‘effectiveness,’ and ‘support,’ and develop a measure to assess it. Study 1 leveraged the academic literature and data from an industry survey to generate an initial item pool and then used SMEs to run a content validation assessment. Study 2 used a ‘shortitudinal’ survey design to assess the factor structure, psychometric properties, and incremental and predictive validity of the scale. The 3-factor structure was confirmed through both an EFA and CFA and the refined scale indicated acceptable levels of construct validity and test-retest reliability. The predictive validity of the scale was supported through a series of mediation analyses across separate employment outcomes. However, the scale did not demonstrate incremental validity over that of an existing socialization tactics scale. Overall, the finalized 17-item scale for ‘sink or swim’ demonstrated sufficient psychometric support, but not did add incremental value over and above existing measures. Regardless, the full scale or the ‘support’ factor scale each represents a practical and simplified assessment of perception of ‘sink or swim’ within the workplace.