Can People With Higher Versus Lower Scores on Impression Management or Self-Monitoring Be Identified Through Different Traces Under Faking?

According to faking models, personality variables and faking are related. Most prominently, people's tendency to try to make an appropriate impression (impression management; IM) and their tendency to adjust the impression they make (self-monitoring; SM) have been suggested to be associated with faking. Nevertheless, empirical findings connecting these personality variables to faking have been contradictory, partly because different studies have given individuals different tests to fake and different faking directions (to fake low vs. high scores). Importantly, whereas past research has focused on faking by examining test scores, recent advances have suggested that the faking process could be better understood by analyzing individuals' responses at the item level (response pattern). Using machine learning (elastic net and random forest regression), we reanalyzed a data set (N = 260) to investigate whether individuals' faked response patterns on extraversion (features; i.e., input variables) could reveal their IM and SM scores. We found that individuals had similar response patterns when they faked, irrespective of their IM scores (excluding the faking of high scores when random forest regression was used). Elastic net and random forest regression converged in revealing that individuals higher on SM differed from individuals lower on SM in how they faked. Thus, response patterns were able to reveal individuals' SM, but not IM. Feature importance analyses showed that whereas some items were faked differently by individuals with higher versus lower SM scores, others were faked similarly. Our results imply that analyses of response patterns offer valuable new insights into the faking process.

Faking Good on Self-Reports Versus Informant-Reports of Emotional Intelligence.

Research demonstrates that people can fake on self-rated emotional intelligence scales. As yet, no studies have investigated whether informants (where a knowledgeable informant rates a target's emotional intelligence) can also fake on emotional intelligence inventories. This study compares mean score differences for a simulated job selection versus a standard instructed set for both self-ratings and informant-ratings on the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF). In a 2 × 2 between-person design, participants (N = 81 community volunteers, 151 university students) completed the TEIQue-SF as either self-report or informant-report in one of two instruction conditions (answer honestly, job simulation). Both self-reports (d = 1.47) and informant-reports (d = 1.56) were significantly higher for job simulation than "answer honestly" instructions, indicating substantial faking. We conclude that people can fake emotional intelligence for both themselves (self-report) and on behalf of someone else (informant-report). We discuss the relevance of our findings for self- and informant-report assessment in applied contexts.

Evaluation of warning strategies to reduce faking during military recruitment.

The applicant faking literature suggests that faking warnings - brief messages that dissuade applicants from faking - can reduce faking on personality tests by up to 50%. However, the efficacy of warnings may be limited by their atheoretical construction. Further, these threatening messages can cause applicants to feel negatively about the personality test, potentially reducing their validity during the selection process. We tried to improve the efficacy of faking warnings, while minimizing negative applicant reactions, by leveraging theory from the accountability and morality literatures. We tested three new faking warnings that emphasized short-term accountability, long-term accountability, and morality. To do so, we tested 466 military trainees undergoing basic training at the Canadian Armed Forces and asked them to engage in a selection simulation. We assigned groups of trainees to the different faking warning conditions and guided them through the simulation. We found that a faking warning emphasizing short-term accountability, which threatened to detect fakers by contacting references and using "internal integrity checks," reduced applicant faking. None of the other messages had any effect when compared to a no-warning control group.

IAT faking indices revisited: Aspects of replicability and differential validity.

Research demonstrates that IATs are fakeable. Several indices [either slowing down or speeding up, and increasing errors or reducing errors in congruent and incongruent blocks; Combined Task Slowing (CTS); Ratio 150-10000] have been developed to detect faking. Findings on these are inconclusive, but previous studies have used small samples, suggesting they were statistically underpowered. Further, the stability of the results, the unique predictivity of the indices, the advantage of combining indices, and the dependency on how faking success is computed have yet to be examined. Therefore, we reanalyzed a large data set (N = 750) of fakers and non-fakers who completed an extraversion IAT. Results showed that faking strategies depend on the direction of faking. It was possible to detect faking of low scores due to slowing down on the congruent block, and somewhat less with CTS-both strategies led to faking success. In contrast, the strategy of increasing errors on the congruent block was observed but was not successful in altering the IAT effect in the desired direction. Fakers of high scores could be detected due to slowing down on the incongruent block, increasing errors on the incongruent block, and with CTS-all three strategies led to faking success. The results proved stable in subsamples and generally across different computations of faking success. Using regression analyses and machine learning, increasing errors had the strongest impact on the classification. Apparently, fakers use various goal-dependent strategies and not all are successful. To detect faking, we recommend combining indices depending on the context (and examining convergence).

Can Faking Be Measured With Dedicated Validity Scales? Within-Subject Trifactor Mixture Modeling Applied to BIDR Responses.

A sample of 516 participants responded to the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) under answer honest and instructed faking conditions in a within-subjects design. We analyze these data with a novel application of trifactor modeling that models the two substantive factors measured by the BIDR-self-deceptive enhancement (SDE) and impression management (IM), condition-related common factors, and item-specific factors. The model permits examination of invariance and change within subjects across conditions. Participants were able to significantly increase their SDE and IM in the instructed faking condition relative to the honest response condition. Mixture modeling confirmed the existence of a theoretical two-class solution comprised of approximately two thirds of "compliers" and one third of "noncompliers." Factor scores had good determinacy and correlations with observed scores were near unity for continuous scoring, supporting observed score interpretations of BIDR scales in high-stakes settings. Correlations were somewhat lower for the dichotomous scoring protocol. Overall, results show that the BIDR scales function similarly as measures of socially desirable functioning in low- and high-stakes conditions. We discuss conditions under which we expect these results will and will not generalize to other validity scales.

Quasi-ipsative Forced-Choice Personality Inventories and the Control of Faking: The Biasing Effects of Transient Error / Los inventarios de personalidad de elección forzosa cuasi-ipsativos y el control del faking: los efectos de sesgo del error temporal

To date, experimental research on the effect of faking on personality measures has used two types of designs: within-subject designs and between-subjects designs. None of these designs permit us to control for the effects of transient error on faking. Using a Latin-square design (LSD), the current study examines the effects of faking on the Big Five as assessed by a quasi-ipsative forced-choice (FC) personality inventory. LSD is a type of experimental design that simultaneously permits us to control for between-subject differences, within-subject variability, and transient error. The sample consisted of 246 participants (four experimental groups, assessed twice, 2-3 week interval). The results showed that (1) faking effect size can be largely attributed to transient error and (2) the quasi-ipsative FC format shows great resistance to faking behavior. The average effect size (Cohen’s d) for the Big Five was 0.21, 0.12, and 0.09 for observed faking, transient error, and true faking, respectively. On average, 62% of observed faking effect size can be attributed to transient error. To conclude, we discuss the implications of these findings for the research and practice of personnel selection.(AU)

La investigación experimental sobre los efectos del faking o falseamiento en las medidas de personalidad ha utilizado dos tipos de diseños: diseños intrasujeto y diseños entre sujetos. Pero ninguno de ellos nos permite controlar los efectos del error temporal en el faking. Usando un diseño de cuadrado latino (DCL), este estudio examina los efectos del faking en los Cinco Grandes evaluados con un inventario de personalidad de elección forzosa (EF) cuasi-ipsativo. El DCL es un diseño experimental que simultáneamente nos permite controlar las diferencias entre sujetos, la variabilidad intrasujeto y el error temporal. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 246 participantes (cuatro grupos experimentales, evaluados dos veces en un intervalo de 2-3 semanas). Los resultados mostraron que (1) el tamaño del efecto del faking se puede atribuir en gran medida a un error temporal y (2) el formato de EF causi-ipsativo muestra una gran resistencia al faking. El tamaño del efecto promedio (d de Cohen) para los Cinco Grandes fue 0.21, 0.12 y 0.09 para el faking observado, el error temporal y el faking verdadero, respectivamente. En promedio, el 62 % del tamaño del efecto del faking observado se puede atribuir a un error temporal. Para concluir, se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados.(AU)

Modeling social desirability in the Antisocial Self-Report (ASR-13) scores / Modelando a desejabilidade social na Escala de Auto-Relato de Comportamentos Anti-Sociais / Modelización de la deseabilidad social en los puntajes del Inventario Breve de Conductas Antisociales (ASR-13)

The Antisocial Self-Report (ASR-13) was developed to assess a general antisocial personality factor. However, because antisocial traits are socially aversive, the ASR-13 scores can be potentially contaminated by social desirability in high-stakes testing situations. In the present study, we performed an in-depth analysis of the ASR-13 to determine which items may be subject to socially desirable responding when used for data collection in prison settings. Participants were 324 college students, and 20 male prisoners. A Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) model suggested three items were especially prone to eliciting socially desirable responding. We found evidence that prisoners likely attenuated their scores when rating items with content that is related to illegal behaviors. We discuss the implications of the findings, and how they help understand the latent processes that cause item responses to the ASR-13 inventory.(AU)

O Inventário Breve de Comportamentos Antissociais foi desenvolvido para avaliar um fator geral de personalidade antissocial. No entanto, como traços antissociais são socialmente aversivos, os escores do inventário podem acabar contaminados pela desejabilidade social em contextos de avaliação nos quais o indivíduo possui interesse em obter resultados favoráveis. No presente estudo, uma análise do ASR-13 foi realizada em relação a quais itens são suscetíveis às respostas socialmente desejáveis quando a coleta de dados é feita em ambientes prisionais. Os participantes foram 324 estudantes universitários e 20 homens privados de liberdade. O modelo Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) sugeriu que três itens eram especialmente propensos a provocar respostas socialmente desejáveis. Evidências de que os participantes privados de liberdade atenuaram as suas pontuações em itens com conteúdo relacionado a comportamentos ilegais foram encontradas. Discutiu-se as implicações dos resultados e como ajudam a entender os processos latentes que causam respostas aos itens do ASR-13.(AU)

El Inventario Breve de Conductas Antisociales fue desarrollado para evaluar un factor general de personalidad antisocial. Sin embargo, como los rasgos antisociales son socialmente aversivos, los puntajes del inventario pueden verse contaminadas por la deseabilidad social en contextos de evaluación en los que el individuo está interesado en obtener resultados favorables. En el presente estudio, realizamos un análisis del ASR-13 en relación con qué ítems son susceptibles de respuestas socialmente deseables cuando la recolección de datos se realiza en entornos penitenciarios. Los participantes fueron 324 estudiantes universitarios y 20 hombres en situación de privación de libertad. El Modelo con Indicadores y Causas Múltiples (MIMIC) sugirió que tres ítems eras especialmente propensos a provocar respuestas socialmente deseables. Encontramos evidencias de que los participantes privados de libertad bajaron sus puntajes en ítems con contenido relacionado con conductas ilegales. Discutimos las implicaciones de los resultados y cómo ayudan a comprender los procesos latentes que provocan las respuestas a los ítems del ASR-13.(AU)

Motives that Mediate the Associations Between Relationship Satisfaction, Orgasmic Difficulty, and the Frequency of Faking Orgasm.

INTRODUCTION: Faking orgasm by women reportedly occurs quite frequently, with both relationship characteristics and orgasmic difficulty being significant predictors. AIM: We explored women's motives that might mediate the associations between orgasmic difficulty and relationship satisfaction on the one hand, with the frequency of faking orgasm on the other. METHODS: In a study of 360 Hungarian women who reported "ever" faking orgasm during partnered sex, we assessed the direct and indirect (mediated) associations between orgasmic difficulty, relationship satisfaction, and the frequency of faking orgasm. OUTCOMES: Determination of motives that mediate the association between orgasmic difficulty and the frequency of faking orgasm, and the association between relationship satisfaction and the frequency of faking orgasm. RESULTS: Increased orgasmic difficulty was directly related to increased frequency of faking orgasm (ß = 0.37; P < .001), and each variable itself was related to a number of motives for faking orgasm. However, the only motive assessed in our study that mediated the relationship between orgasmic difficulty and the frequency of faking orgasm was insecurity about being perceived as abnormal or dysfunctional (indirect effect: ß = 0.13; P < .001). A similar pattern emerged with relationship satisfaction and frequency of faking orgasm. These two variables were directly related in that lower relationship satisfaction predicted higher frequency of faking orgasm (ß = -0.15; P = .008). Furthermore, while each variable itself was related to a number of motives for faking orgasm, the only motive assessed in our study that mediated the relationship between the 2 variables was insecurity about being perceived as abnormal or dysfunctional (indirect effect: ß = -0.06; P = .008). CLINICAL TRANSLATION: Insecurity related to being perceived as abnormal or deficient, along with sexual communication, should be addressed in women with a history of faking orgasm but who want to cease doing so. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The sample was relatively large and the online survey adhered to best practices. Nevertheless, bias may result in sample characteristics when recruitment is achieved primarily through social media. In addition, the cross-sectional sample prevented causal determination and represented Western-based values. CONCLUSIONS: The associations between orgasmic difficulty and faking orgasm, and between relationship satisfaction and faking orgasm, are both direct and indirect (mediated). The primary motive for mediating the indirect association between the predictor variables and the frequency of faking orgasm was the insecurity about being perceived as deficient or abnormal. Hevesi K, Horvath Z, Miklos E, et al. Motives that Mediate the Associations Between Relationship Satisfaction, Orgasmic Difficulty, and the Frequency of Faking Orgasm. Sex Med 2022;10:100568.

On the Information Obtainable from Comparative Judgments.

Personality tests employing comparative judgments have been proposed as an alternative to Likert-type rating scales. One of the main advantages of a comparative format is that it can reduce faking of responses in high-stakes situations. However, previous research has shown that it is highly difficult to obtain trait score estimates that are both faking resistant and sufficiently accurate for individual-level diagnostic decisions. With the goal of contributing to a solution, I study the information obtainable from comparative judgments analyzed by means of Thurstonian IRT models. First, I extend the mathematical theory of ordinal comparative judgments and corresponding models. Second, I provide optimal test designs for Thurstonian IRT models that maximize the accuracy of people's trait score estimates from both frequentist and Bayesian statistical perspectives. Third, I derive analytic upper bounds for the accuracy of these trait estimates achievable through ordinal Thurstonian IRT models. Fourth, I perform numerical experiments that complement results obtained in earlier simulation studies. The combined analytical and numerical results suggest that it is indeed possible to design personality tests using comparative judgments that yield trait scores estimates sufficiently accurate for individual-level diagnostic decisions, while reducing faking in high-stakes situations. Recommendations for the practical application of comparative judgments for the measurement of personality, specifically in high-stakes situations, are given.

Lying on the Dissection Table: Anatomizing Faked Responses.

Research has shown that even experts cannot detect faking above chance, but recent studies have suggested that machine learning may help in this endeavor. However, faking differs between faking conditions, previous efforts have not taken these differences into account, and faking indices have yet to be integrated into such approaches. We reanalyzed seven data sets (N = 1,039) with various faking conditions (high and low scores, different constructs, naïve and informed faking, faking with and without practice, different measures [self-reports vs. implicit association tests; IATs]). We investigated the extent to which and how machine learning classifiers could detect faking under these conditions and compared different input data (response patterns, scores, faking indices) and different classifiers (logistic regression, random forest, XGBoost). We also explored the features that classifiers used for detection. Our results show that machine learning has the potential to detect faking, but detection success varies between conditions from chance levels to 100%. There were differences in detection (e.g., detecting low-score faking was better than detecting high-score faking). For self-reports, response patterns and scores were comparable with regard to faking detection, whereas for IATs, faking indices and response patterns were superior to scores. Logistic regression and random forest worked about equally well and outperformed XGBoost. In most cases, classifiers used more than one feature (faking occurred over different pathways), and the features varied in their relevance. Our research supports the assumption of different faking processes and explains why detecting faking is a complex endeavor.

Challenging response latencies in faking detection: The case of few items and no warnings.

AbstractFaking detection is an ongoing challenge in psychological assessment. A notable approach for detecting fakers involves the inspection of response latencies and is based on the congruence model of faking. According to this model, respondents who fake good will provide favorable responses (i.e., congruent answers) faster than they provide unfavorable (i.e., incongruent) responses. Although the model has been validated in various experimental faking studies, to date, research supporting the congruence model has focused on scales with large numbers of items. Furthermore, in this previous research, fakers have usually been warned that faking could be detected. In view of the trend to use increasingly shorter scales in assessment, it becomes important to investigate whether the congruence model also applies to self-report measures with small numbers of items. In addition, it is unclear whether warning participants about faking detection is necessary for a successful application of the congruence model. To address these issues, we reanalyzed data sets of two studies that investigated faking good and faking bad on extraversion (n = 255) and need for cognition (n = 146) scales. Reanalyses demonstrated that having only a few items per scale and not warning participants represent a challenge for the congruence model. The congruence model of faking was only partly confirmed under such conditions. Although faking good on extraversion was associated with the expected longer latencies for incongruent answers, all other conditions remained nonsignificant. Thus, properties of the measurement and properties of the procedure affect the successful application of the congruence model.

Modeling Faking in the Multidimensional Forced-Choice Format: The Faking Mixture Model.

The multidimensional forced-choice (MFC) format has been proposed to reduce faking because items within blocks can be matched on desirability. However, the desirability of individual items might not transfer to the item blocks. The aim of this paper is to propose a mixture item response theory model for faking in the MFC format that allows to estimate the fakability of MFC blocks, termed the Faking Mixture model. Given current computing capabilities, within-subject data from both high- and low-stakes contexts are needed to estimate the model. A simulation showed good parameter recovery under various conditions. An empirical validation showed that matching was necessary but not sufficient to create an MFC questionnaire that can reduce faking. The Faking Mixture model can be used to reduce fakability during test construction.

A Meta-Analysis of the Faking Resistance of Forced-Choice Personality Inventories.

This study presents a comprehensive meta-analysis on the faking resistance of forced-choice (FC) inventories. The results showed that (1) FC inventories show resistance to faking behavior; (2) the magnitude of faking is higher in experimental contexts than in real-life selection processes, suggesting that the effects of faking may be, in part, a laboratory phenomenon; and (3) quasi-ipsative FC inventories are more resistant to faking than the other FC formats. Smaller effect sizes were found for conscientiousness when the quasi-ipsative format was used (δ = 0.49 vs. δ = 1.27 for ipsative formats). Also, the effect sizes were smaller for the applicant samples than for the experimental samples. Finally, the contributions and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Faking self-reports of health behavior: a comparison between a within- and a between-subjects design.

BACKGROUND: This study examines people's ability to fake their reported health behavior and explores the magnitude of such response distortion concerning faking of preventive health behavior and health risk behavior. As health behavior is a sensitive topic, people usually prefer privacy about it or they wish to create a better image of themselves (Fekken et al., 2012; Levy et al., 2018). Nevertheless, health behavior is often assessed by self-report questionnaires that are prone to faking. Therefore, it is important to examine the possible impact of such faking. METHODS: To replicate the findings and test their robustness, two study designs were realized. In the within-subjects-design, 142 participants repeatedly answered a health behavior questionnaire with an instruction to answer honestly, fake good, and fake bad. In the between-subjects design, 128 participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups that filled out the health behavior questionnaire with only one of the three instructions. RESULTS: Both studies showed that successful faking of self-reported preventive and health risk behavior was possible. The magnitude of such faking effects was very large in the within-subjects design and somewhat smaller in the between-subjects design. CONCLUSION: Even though each design has its inherent merits and problems, caution is indicated regarding faking effects.

Faking Orgasm: Relationship to Orgasmic Problems and Relationship Type in Heterosexual Women.

INTRODUCTION: Although faking orgasm among women appears quite common, the roles of orgasmic problems and relationship type in partnered sex and masturbation have not been fully explored. AIM: We assessed the relationship between orgasmic problems (separately in partnered sex and masturbation) and faking orgasm across various types of relationships while also considering the role of demographic and sexual function related covariates. METHODS: In this study of 1,168 Hungarian women, we assessed orgasmic problems, sexual functioning, and the prevalence and frequency of faking orgasm in 3 relationship types: romantic relationships, one-night stands, and continuing sexual relationships of more than one night. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Differences in faking orgasm across 3 types of relationships; the association between faking orgasm in 1 type of relationship with faking orgasm in other types of relationships; and the relationship of "orgasmic problems" in partnered sex and masturbation to the presence and frequency of faking orgasm in various relationship types. RESULTS: A subset of women who faked orgasm in 1 relationship type were more likely to fake orgasm in other relationship types. Orgasmic problems predicted the occurrence and frequency of faking orgasm in all 3 relationship types, though to different degrees. Other factors, including orgasmic difficulty during masturbation, the frequencies of masturbation and partnered sex, and the self-rated importance of sex were also related to the frequency of faking orgasm. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that faking orgasm has both dispositional and situational elements. "Orgasmic problems" in partnered sex was a consistent and robust predictor of the occurrence and frequency of faking orgasm in different relationship types. Hevesi K, Horvath Z, Sal D, et al. Faking Orgasm: Relationship to Orgasmic Problems and Relationship Type in Heterosexual Women. Sex Med 2021;9:100419.

The Good, the Bad, and the Clever: Faking Ability as a Socio-Emotional Ability?

Socio-emotional abilities have been proposed as an extension to models of intelligence, but earlier measurement approaches have either not fulfilled criteria of ability measurement or have covered only predominantly receptive abilities. We argue that faking ability-the ability to adjust responses on questionnaires to present oneself in a desired manner-is a socio-emotional ability that can broaden our understanding of these abilities and intelligence in general. To test this theory, we developed new instruments to measure the ability to fake bad (malingering) and administered them jointly with established tests of faking good ability in a general sample of n = 134. Participants also completed multiple tests of emotion perception along with tests of emotion expression posing, pain expression regulation, and working memory capacity. We found that individual differences in faking ability tests are best explained by a general factor that had a large correlation with receptive socio-emotional abilities and had a zero to medium-sized correlation with different productive socio-emotional abilities. All correlations were still small after controlling these effects for shared variance with general mental ability as indicated by tests of working memory capacity. We conclude that faking ability is indeed correlated meaningfully with other socio-emotional abilities and discuss the implications for intelligence research and applied ability assessment.

Faking effects on the factor structure of a quasi-ipsative forced-choice personality inventory / Los efectos del faking en la estructura factorial de un inventario de personalidad de elección forzosa quasi-ipsativo

Research has shown that faking behavior affects the factor structure of single-stimulus (SS) personality measures. However, no published research has analyzed the effects of this phenomenon on the factor structure of forced-choice (FC) personality inventories. This study examines the effects of faking, induced in a laboratory setting, on the construct validity of a quasi-ipsative FC personality inventory based on the Five-Factor Model. It also examines the moderator effect of the type of experimental design (between-subject and within-subject design) on factor analyses. The results showed that (a) data fit to a structure of five-factors in the two conditions (honest and faking) in both experimental designs; (b) model fit indices are also good or excellent in all cases; and (c) Burt-Tucker’s congruence coefficients between convergent factors of conditions analyzed are very high. These findings provide evidence that the quasi-ipsative FC format is a robust instrument that controls the effects of faking on factor structure. Finally, we discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings for personnel selection and assessment (AU)

La investigación ha demostrado que el faking o falseamiento afecta a la estructura factorial de las medidas de personalidad de estímulo único (single stimulus; SS). Sin embargo hasta la fecha no se ha publicado ninguna investigación que haya analizado los efectos de este fenómeno en la estructura factorial de los cuestionarios de personalidad de elección forzosa (forced-choice, FC). Este estudio examina los efectos del falseamiento, inducido en un entorno de laboratorio, en la validez de constructo de un cuestionario de personalidad de elección forzosa quasi-ipsativo basado en el modelo de los cinco grandes factores de personalidad. También examina el efecto moderador del tipo de diseño experimental (inter-sujeto e intra-sujeto) en los análisis factoriales. Los resultados mostraron que (a) los datos se ajustan a una estructura de cinco factores en las dos condiciones (honesta y faking) en ambos diseños experimentales, (b) los índices de ajuste del modelo son buenos o excelentes en todos los casos y (c) los coeficientes de congruencia de Burt-Tucker entre los factores convergentes de las condiciones analizadas son muy altos. Estos hallazgos proporcionan evidencia de que el formato de elección forzosa quasi-ipsativo es un instrumento robusto que controla los efectos del faking en la estructura factorial. Finalmente se analizan las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas de estos resultados en la selección y evaluación de personal (AU)

The Motivation and Opportunity for Socially Desirable Responding Does Not Alter the General Factor of Personality.

Socially desirable responding may affect the factor structure of personality questionnaires and may be one of the reasons for the common variance among personality traits. In this study, we test this hypothesis by investigating the influence of the motivational test-taking context (development vs. selection) and the opportunity to distort responses (forced-choice vs. Likert response format) on personality questionnaire scores. Data from real selection and assessment candidates (total N = 3,980) matched on gender, age, and educational level were used. Mean score differences were found between the selection and development groups, with smaller differences for the FC version. Yet, exploratory structural equation models showed that the overall factor structures as well as the general factor were highly similar across the four groups. Thus, although socially desirable responding may affect mean scores on personality traits, it does not appear to affect factor structures. This study further suggests that the common variance in personality questionnaires is consistent and appears to be little influenced by motivational pressures for response distortion.

Associations between supernormality ('faking good'), narcissism and depression: An exploratory study in a clinical sample.

We explored underreporting of mental health symptoms and its correlates in adults receiving psychological treatment. We administered the Supernormality Scale (SS), the Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory-2 (Restructured Form, MMPI-2-RF), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-2) to 147 patients at the start of their treatment. Supernormality (i.e., denial of common symptoms) was positively associated with MMPI-2(-RF) faking good parameters supporting the construct validity of the SS. Narcissism was negatively related to self-reported depression symptoms, but this association failed to reach significance (r = -.15, p = .07). This suggests that patients high on grandiose/overt narcissism might tend to deny common symptoms. The link between supernormality and depression symptoms as measured by the BDI-2 was substantial and negative (r = -.72). Our data suggest that supernormality is associated with constricted self-reports of depression. Given the clinical relevance of symptom underreporting, our preliminary findings require a large-scale replication.

An Investigation of Situational and Dispositional Antecedents of Faking Intentions in Selection Interviews.

Applicants use faking in selection interviews to create a favorable impression and to increase their chances for a job offer. Theoretical models assume that such a behavior is influenced by situational and dispositional variables. However, previous research has mainly focused on dispositional variables whereas research about situational variables is sparse. To address this gap, we conducted three studies in which we examined how competition for a job and warning interviewees that information from their answers will be verified can influence faking intentions. Furthermore, we wanted to know whether these situational variables are able to explain additional variance in faking intentions beyond dispositional variables and whether there are interactions between situational and dispositional variables. In Study 1, we only found that high competition led to slightly higher faking intentions than low competition in a student sample. In Study 2, only a warning about the verification of applicants' answers led to slightly lower faking intentions compared to no warning concerning verification in a working sample. Furthermore, faking intentions were lower in Study 2 than in the student sample in Study 1. In Study 3, we found no impact of our situational variables in a combined sample of students and non-students. We only found slightly higher honest impression management intentions in the high competition and the verification warning condition. We also found hardly any support for interaction effects between the situational and dispositional variables. Furthermore, the situational variables did not explain additional variance beyond the dispositional variables in any of the three studies. Possible reasons for the non-significant or small effect sizes for the situational variables can be found in a qualitative analysis of answers to an open-ended question in Study 3. However, we found that Honesty-humility und all facets of the Dark Triad were related to faking intentions. These results indicate that dispositional variables in particular have an impact on faking intentions.