Content and style in personality assessment.

"It has been suggested that stylistic determinants, such as acquiescence, over-generalization, and a tendency to respond in a socially undesirable manner, as distinct from specific content, account for a large proportion of response variance on some personality scales, particularly the California F scale, the MMPI, and the California Psychological Inventory. Research involving response style may contribute to a more systematic measurement in personality and may pay off handsomely in helping to further the common ground between personality theory and personality assessment." 60 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)