Calling: the development of a scale measure

This study clarifies the definition of calling—a consuming, meaningful passion people experience toward a domain—and develops a 12-item scale measure of calling. Drawing on multiwave longitudinal, 2-wave longitudinal, and cross-sectional data from 1,500 participants (2,278 observations) in 4 separate domains, music, art, business, and management, we demonstrate the scale's reliability and unidimensional structure across contexts and over time. We establish the scale's convergent validity and discriminant validity. We determine criterion-related validity through the scale's relationship to satisfaction with the calling domain, career-related self-efficacy, clarity of professional identity, career insight, attending a calling-oriented college program, professional pursuit of the calling domain, and differences across the 4 domains. We discuss implications of this reliable, valid measure for theory and research on calling, meaning of work, and careers.