Positive and Negative Social Exchanges Scale

Abstract

The positive and negative social exchanges (PANSE) scale has been widely applied within the interpersonal communication arena. The measure captures the possible varied positive and negative assessments of messages that someone recalls from a targeted individual. The measure was updated by J. T. Newsom, K. S. Rook, D. H. Sorkin, and T. Mahan to include a fourth domain of both a positive social exchange and a negative social exchange. The overall measure features 24 items and is split evenly between positive and negative social exchanges. Newsom et al. laid the groundwork for the PANSE scale in performing a short-term longitudinal study of older adults inclusive of both positive and negative types of messages exchanged between people. Less research had simultaneously examined both types of social exchange messages. Newsom et al.’s study offered evidence of the measure’s construct validity because negative exchanges are correlated with less well-being and greater psychological distress, whereas positive exchanges are related only to positive well-being.