Latent structure and validity of the french version of the self-monitoring scale.

This article presents two studies aimed at validating a French version of Snyder's Self-Monitoring Scale (18 items) (Snyder and Gangestad, 1986), translated into French as "Echelle de monitoragede soi". The psychometric properties, construct validity, and latent structure of the scale, presented in two formats (binary and Likert), were evaluated in the first study. The results revealed the psychometric superiority of the binary version, as initially proposed by Snyder (1974). In addition to its satisfactory internal consistency and good temporal stability, this version exhibited better predictive validity than the Likert version. Indeed, unlike tire Likert version, the binary version was able to detect the expected link between high self-monitoring and psychological androgyny. Concerning the latent structure, confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the three-correlated-factor solution provided the best fit to the data. The second study served as an empirical test of the predictive value of the proposed scale. Eleven triads of subjects who differed in self-monitoring level were filmed in interaction situations. Independent judges viewed the filmed sequences in order to rate each actor's sense of initiative, ease in interactions, sociability, and timidity. As expected, the subjects with high self-monitoring appeared to the judges as more at case, more sociable, and less timid than the other subjects.