Predictions vs. Endorsements: A Bi-level, Bi-directional Study of Social Desirability

Social Desirability in Personality Inventories

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000138 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 144-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Martin Bäckström ◽

Fredrik Björklund

Keyword(s):

Social Desirability ◽

Big Five ◽

Work Performance ◽

Factor Model ◽

Five Factor Model ◽

Peer Ratings ◽

Personality Inventories ◽

Model Study ◽

The Difference ◽

New Variables

The difference between evaluatively loaded and evaluatively neutralized five-factor inventory items was used to create new variables, one for each factor in the five-factor model. Study 1 showed that these variables can be represented in terms of a general evaluative factor which is related to social desirability measures and indicated that the factor may equally well be represented as separate from the Big Five as superordinate to them. Study 2 revealed an evaluative factor in self-ratings and peer ratings of the Big Five, but the evaluative factor in self-reports did not correlate with such a factor in ratings by peers. In Study 3 the evaluative factor contributed above the Big Five in predicting work performance, indicating a substance component. The results are discussed in relation to measurement issues and self-serving biases.

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Psychometric Properties of the Spontaneous and Deliberate Mind Wandering Scales

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000470 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 878-890 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

David Marcusson-Clavertz ◽

Oscar N. E. Kjell

Keyword(s):

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Generalized Anxiety Disorder ◽

Social Desirability ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Experience Sampling ◽

Well Being ◽

Mind Wandering ◽

Generalized Anxiety ◽

Psychological Variables

Abstract. Thinking about task-unrelated matters (mind wandering) is related to cognition and well-being. However, the relations between mind wandering and other psychological variables may depend on whether the former commence spontaneously or deliberately. The current two studies investigated the psychometric properties of the Spontaneous and Deliberate Mind Wandering Scales (SDMWS; Carriere, Seli, & Smilek, 2013 ). Study 1 evaluated the stability of the scales over 2 weeks ( N = 284 at Time 1), whereas Study 2 ( N = 323) evaluated their relations to Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, Openness, Social desirability, and experience-sampling reports of intentional and unintentional mind wandering during an online cognitive task. The results indicated that the SDMWS were better fitted with a two-factor than a one-factor solution, although the fit was improved with the exclusion of one item. The scales exhibited strong measurement invariance across gender and time, and moderately high test-retest reliability. Spontaneous mind wandering predicted Generalized anxiety disorder and experience-sampling reports of unintentional mind wandering, whereas Deliberate mind wandering predicted Openness and experience-sampling reports of intentional mind wandering. Furthermore, Spontaneous mind wandering showed a negative association with social desirability of weak-to-medium strength. In sum, the scales generally showed favorable psychometric properties.

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Confound It!

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000459 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 855-867 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

John T. Kulas ◽

Rachael Klahr ◽

Lindsey Knights

Keyword(s):

Social Desirability ◽

Response Pattern ◽

Experimental Manipulation ◽

Scoring Method ◽

Method Effect ◽

Coding Method ◽

The Social ◽

Current Article ◽

Method Factors ◽

Psychological Inventory

Abstract. Many investigators have noted “reverse-coding” method factors when exploring response pattern structure with psychological inventory data. The current article probes for the existence of a confound in these investigations, whereby an item’s level of saturation with socially desirable content tends to covary with the item’s substantive scale keying. We first investigate its existence, demonstrating that 15 of 16 measures that have been previously implicated as exhibiting a reverse-scoring method effect can also be reasonably characterized as exhibiting a scoring key/social desirability confound. A second set of analyses targets the extent to which the confounding variable may confuse interpretation of factor analytic results and documents strong social desirability associations. The results suggest that assessment developers perhaps consider the social desirability scale value of indicators when constructing scale aggregates (and possibly scales when investigating inter-construct associations). Future investigations would ideally disentangle the confound via experimental manipulation.

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I Saw That

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000402 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 141-148

Author(s):

Sarah Kramer ◽

Kaitlin M. Lewin ◽

Allison S. Romano ◽

Brian P. Meier

Keyword(s):

Social Desirability ◽

White Men ◽

Bias Effect

Abstract. The shooter bias effect reveals that individuals are quicker to “shoot” armed Black (vs. White) men and slower to “not shoot” unarmed Black (vs. White) men in a computer task. In three studies ( N = 386), we examined whether being observed would reduce this effect because of social desirability concerns. Participants completed a “shooting” task with or without a camera/live observer supposedly recording behavior. Cameras were strapped to participants’ heads (Studies 1a/1b) and pointed at them (Study 1b). In Study 2, a researcher observed participants complete the task while “filming” them with a smartphone. We replicated the shooter bias, but observation only reduced the effect in Study 2. These results reveal that being observed can reduce the shooter bias effect.

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The Impact of Endorsing the Belief in a Just World on Social Judgments

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000105 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 209-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Benoît Testé ◽

Samantha Perrin

Keyword(s):

Social Desirability ◽

Social Value ◽

Social Utility ◽

Western Society ◽

Social Judgments ◽

Just World ◽

The Social ◽

Main Effect ◽

The Impact

The present research examines the social value attributed to endorsing the belief in a just world for self (BJW-S) and for others (BJW-O) in a Western society. We conducted four studies in which we asked participants to assess a target who endorsed BJW-S vs. BJW-O either strongly or weakly. Results showed that endorsement of BJW-S was socially valued and had a greater effect on social utility judgments than it did on social desirability judgments. In contrast, the main effect of endorsement of BJW-O was to reduce the target’s social desirability. The results also showed that the effect of BJW-S on social utility is mediated by the target’s perceived individualism, whereas the effect of BJW-S and BJW-O on social desirability is mediated by the target’s perceived collectivism.

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