Comparing the efficacy of faking warning types in preemployment personality tests: A meta-analysis.

Numerous faking warning types have been investigated as interventions that aim to minimize applicant faking in preemployment personality tests. However, studies vary in the types and effectiveness of faking warnings used, personality traits, as well as the use of different recruitment settings and participant samples. In the present study, we advance a theory that classifies faking warning types based on ability, opportunity, and motivation to fake (Tett & Simonet, 2011), which we validated using subject matter expert ratings. Using this framework as a guide, we conducted a random-effects pairwise meta-analysis (k = 34) and a network meta-analysis (k = 36). We used inverse-variance weighting to pool the effect sizes and relied on 80% prediction intervals to evaluate heterogeneity. Overall, faking warnings had a significant, moderate effect in reducing applicant faking (d = 0.31, 95% CI [0.23, 0.39]). Warning types that theoretically targeted ability, motivation, and opportunity to fake (d = 0.36, 95% CI [0.25, 0.47]) were the most effective. Additionally, warnings were least effective in studies using recruitment settings and nonuniversity student samples. However, all effect sizes contained substantial heterogeneity, and all warning types will be ineffective in some contexts. Organizations should be cognizant that warnings alone may not be sufficient to address applicant faking, and future research should explore how their effectiveness varies depending on other contextual factors and applicant characteristics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A multi-study investigation assessing the potential redundancy among the Dark Tetrad using a narrowband trait approach.

We investigated the putative redundancy of the Dark Tetrad (specifically, Machiavellianism-psychopathy and sadism-psychopathy) through an examination of the differences between correlations with self-reported narrowband personality traits. In addition to measures of the Dark Tetrad, participants in four studies completed measures of various narrowband traits assessing general personality, aggression, impulsivity, Mimicry Deception Theory, and Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory. Results generally supported empirical distinctions between Machiavellianism and psychopathy, and between sadism and psychopathy. Machiavellianism significantly differed from psychopathy across correlations for nine of 10 traits (Study 1), 8 of 25 facets (Study 2), aggression (Study 3), 12 of 25 facets (Study 3), four of five facets (Study 4), impulsivity (Study 4), and five of six facets (Study 4). Sadism significantly differed from psychopathy across correlations with five of 10 traits (Study 1), eight of 25 facets (Study 2), reactive aggression (Study 3), 10 of 25 facets (Study 3), three of six facets (Study 4), impulsivity (Study 4), and three of six facets (Study 4). Our findings challenge the claims that Machiavellianism and psychopathy, as well as sadism and psychopathy, as currently measured, are redundant.