Social desirability scales as moderator and suppressor variables

1992 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Borkenau ◽  
Fritz Ostendorf
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Regression Technique ◽  
Moderator Effects ◽  
Partial Correlations ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Suppressor Variable ◽  
Descriptive Level

This study concerned the effectiveness of social desirability (SD) as a moderator or suppressor variable. Three SD scales were employed: the Edwards SDS, the Marlowe‐Crowne SDS, and a new scale that uses sets of four trait‐descriptive terms such that highly desirable responses are inconsistent at the descriptive level (e.g. firm, lenient, severe, and lax). Moreover, factor‐analytically derived measures of self‐deception and impression management were used. The 300 subjects were administered measures of the five major factors of personality. They were also judged by three peers on these dimensions. To examine moderator effects, the sample of 300 subjects was dichotomized at the median of the SD measures, and self‐peer correlations were calculated for each group separately. Saunders s moderated regression technique was also used. Partial correlations controlling for SD were computed to test for suppressor effects. Moderator effects were present only for Neuroticism, whereas no suppressor effects were found for any of the SD measures. It is argued that researchers and subjects may hold different perspectives on the meaning of responses to SD scales.

Personality, situation, and positive–negative asymmetry in socially desirable responding

1995 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjaana Lindeman ◽  
Markku Verkasalo
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Socially Desirable Responding ◽  
Personal Ideals ◽  
Public Setting ◽  
Extreme Responses ◽  
Private Setting ◽  
Psychological Determinant

Based on previous research on socially desirable responding and positive—negative asymmetry, we hypothesized that (i) impression management is higher in public than in private settings, (ii) personal ideals linked to exemplification, ingratiation, and intimidation are related to an impression management tendency, (iii) negatively keyed social desirability items receive more extreme responses than positively keyed items, and (iv) self‐esteem is correlated higher with negatively than with positively keyed self‐deception items. Based on Jones and Pittman's (1982) model, exemplification, ingratiation, and intimidation are defined as impression management strategies that aim at presenting oneself as worthy, likable, or dangerous, respectively. Principally, the results obtained in a public setting (N=177) and a private setting (N= 165) support these hypotheses. The overall pattern of findings suggests that both context and personal ideals exert an influence on impression management scores, and that the keying direction of an item may be an important psychological determinant of a test response.

scholarly journals The moderating effects of Social Desirability responding on the criterion-related validity of self-report personality inventory

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-172
Author(s):  
JaeYoon Chang ◽  
Sanghee Nam
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Moderation Effects ◽  
Host Country Nationals ◽  
Two Factors

This study aimed to examine how social desirability responding(SDR) affects the criterion-related validity of self-reported personality. Specifically, this study examined how SDR, impression management(IM) and self deceptive enhancement(SDE) can take distinct effects on criteria when personality traits of 91 expatriates such as empathy, cooperation, and friendliness predict their performance criteria. Although previous studies suggested either suppression or moderation effects of SDR, the results indicated that there was no suppression effects but statistically significant moderation effects of SDE on the link between each of some predictors(empathy and cooperation) and expatriate’s negative emotional expression and helping behavior in organization rated by peers(host country nationals). However, such effects were not supported in case of IM. The importance of specifying two factors of SDR and suggestions for the future research were discussed.

scholarly journals Can Social Desirability Be Detected Statistically at the Macro-Sociological Level?

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter R. Schumm ◽  
◽  
Duane W. Crawford ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Desirability ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Research Quality ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Empirical Tests ◽  
Same Sex Parents ◽  
Suppressor Variable

While a few have argued that social science has been subject to progressive biases, others have discounted such ideas. However, no one has yet performed empirical tests over a large range of studies for such possible bias, which we label macro-level social desirability (MLSD). Combining the results from fifty-nine empirical studies that assessed rates of nonheterosexuality among children of same-sex parents, we found that the higher the maximum rates reported, the less likely those reports were to have been cited in Google Scholar by counts or by annual rate, which may reflect MLSD. However, after several statistical controls, the association for counts became non-significant, while the association for rates became stronger, although the effect sizes were in a moderate (d = .28 or higher) to large range (d, up to .68) by either analysis. Generally, research quality acted as a suppressor variable for MLSD but was significantly related to both counts and rates of citations, indicating that higher quality articles were more likely to have been cited, even controlling for the number of years since first publication. Higher quality articles were slightly more likely to report higher rates of nonheterosexuality among children of same-sex parents. We discuss implications of our findings and suggest future directions of research.

Responses on computer surveys: Impression management, social desirability, and the big brother syndrome

1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Rosenfeld ◽  
Stephanie Booth-Kewley ◽  
Jack E. Edwards ◽  
Marle D. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Big Brother

“Let Me Show You How Nice I Am”: Impression Management as Bias in Empathic Responses

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 752-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Sassenrath
Keyword(s):  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Impression Management ◽  
Response Bias ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Reactivity Index ◽  
Additional Experiment ◽  
Interindividual Differences ◽  
Desirable Response ◽  
Response Biases

Past research showed that empathic responses are confounded with social desirability. The present research aims at illuminating this confound. In a first step, it is examined how a measure typically implemented to screen, for response, biases based on social desirability (i.e., the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding) relate to classical measures of interindividual differences in empathic responses (i.e., the Interpersonal Reactivity Index). Moreover, it is investigated what happens to empathic responses under conditions of reduced opportunity to behave socially desirable. Results of two correlational studies indicate that impression management (IM) as well as self-deceptive enhancement as facets of a socially desirable response bias is related to self-reported empathic responses. Results of an additional experiment show that introducing conditions reducing opportunity for IM lowers empathic responses toward a person in need. Implications for research on self-reported empathy and empathy-induced prosocial behavior are discussed.

scholarly journals The Social Desirability Scale-17 (SDS-17)

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joachim Stöber
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire ◽  
Social Desirability Scale ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
The Social ◽  
Job Application ◽  
Age Cohort

Summary: Four studies are presented investigating the convergent validity, discriminant validity, and relationship with age of the Social Desirability Scale-17 (SDS-17). As to convergent validity, SDS-17 scores showed correlations between .52 and .85 with other measures of social desirability (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Lie Scale, Sets of Four Scale, Marlowe-Crowne Scale). Moreover, scores were highly sensitive to social-desirability-provoking instructions (job-application instruction). Finally, with respect to the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding, SDS-17 scores showed a unique correlation with impression management, but not with self-deception. As to discriminant validity, SDS-17 scores showed nonsignificant correlations with neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism, and openness to experience, whereas there was some overlap with agreeableness and conscientiousness. With respect to relationship with age, the SDS-17 was administered in a sample stratified for age, with age ranging from 18 to 89 years. In all but the oldest age group, the SDS-17 showed substantial correlations with the Marlowe-Crowne Scale. The influence of age (cohort) on mean scores, however, was significantly smaller for the SDS-17 than for the Marlowe-Crowne Scale. In sum, results indicate that the SDS-17 is a reliable and valid measure of social desirability, suitable for adults of 18 to 80 years of age.

scholarly journals Can We Rely on Self-Assessments of Sense of Coherence? The Effects of Socially Desirable Responding on the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) Responses

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 278
Author(s):  
Lajunen ◽  
Gaygısız
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability ◽  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Essential Factor ◽  
Socially Desirable Responding ◽  
Self Assessments ◽  
The Relationship

A large number of studies in health psychology have shown that sense of coherence (SOC) is an essential factor in wellbeing and health. SOC is most commonly measured with the Antonovsky’s Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ), which has been so far translated into at least 48 languages. Despite the vast popularity of the OLQ, the relationships between OLQ and socially desirable responding (impression management and self-deception) have not been studied. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlations between social desirability and Antonovsky’s OLQ. Method: The first sample consisted of 423 students who completed the 13-item OLQ and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), including the Lie scale. Also, the Balanced Inventory for Desirable Responding by Paulhus was administered together with the OLQ to 202 students. Results: SOC correlated positively with measures of social desirability among men but not among women. Hence, sex moderated the relationship between socially desirable responding and sense of coherence. Conclusions: Socially desirable responding and, especially, self-deception are positively related to high scores in SOC among men but not among women. The OLQ as a measure of sense of coherence can be used among women without worrying about the bias caused by socially desirable responding. When using the OLQ among men, the strong relationship between self-deception and sense of coherence should be taken into account.

Social Desirability Scales as Indicators of Self-Enhancement and Impression Management

2014 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 532-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Parmač Kovačić ◽  
Zvonimir Galić ◽  
Željko Jerneić
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Social Desirability
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