Personality measurement, faking, and employment selection.

Real job applicants completed a 5-factor model personality measure as part of the job application process. They were rejected; 6 months later they (n = 5,266) reapplied for the same job and completed the same personality measure. Results indicated that 5.2% or fewer improved their scores on any scale on the 2nd occasion; moreover, scale scores were as likely to change in the negative direction as the positive. Only 3 applicants changed scores on all 5 scales beyond a 95% confidence threshold. Construct validity of the personality scales remained intact across the 2 administrations, and the same structural model provided an acceptable fit to the scale score matrix on both occasions. For the small number of applicants whose scores changed beyond the standard error of measurement, the authors found the changes were systematic and predictable using measures of social skill, social desirability, and integrity. Results suggest that faking on personality measures is not a significant problem in real-world selection settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking and personality assessment in personnel selection: Advancing models of faking.

Personality testing is a particularly valuable preemployment assessment tool when one matches personality traits to job requirements. The authors explain that, unlike most other common personnel selection methods, the unique value of personality assessment in personnel selection stems from its tendency to predict the choice to perform, or “will-do” aspects of job performance. The effect of faking on the value of personality testing is discussed, and the authors suggest that personality testing’s contribution to personnel selection could be leveraged if more were known about the psychological process underlying applicant faking behaviour. To this end, the authors present an improved general model of the applicant faking process as well as a new “faking decision tree.” (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measurement issues associated with conditional reasoning tests: Indirect measurement and test faking.

Conditional reasoning is a new measurement technique used to measure cognitive biases associated with latent personality motives. The current article describes 3 studies examining 2 related measurement issues associated with conditional reasoning tests (CRTs). Study 1 examined the necessity of maintaining indirect assessment when administering CRTs. Results indicated that, compared with a control condition, 2 experimental conditions that disclosed the purpose of assessment yielded significant mean shifts on a CRT. Study 2 explored whether CRTs could be faked when the purpose of assessment was not disclosed. Results indicated that when indirect measurement was maintained, CRTs appeared to be resistant to faking. Study 3 compared scores on the Conditional Reasoning Test for Aggression across student, applicant, and incumbent samples. Results indicated no significant mean differences among these samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Real-life" faking on the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule by sales applicants.

This study investigated possible faking of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule in an industrial selection situation. EPPS scores for 97 Retail sales applicants and 66 Industrial sales applicants (all later hired) were compared to those of scores of 69 Retail salesmen and 49 Industrial salesmen (all tested on the job). Results showed that Retail applicants tended to score significantly higher on Orderliness, Intraception, and Dominance scales and lower on the Heterosexuality scale than Retail salesman. No significant differences were found, however, between Industrial applicants and Industrial salesmen. This suggests that persons more oriented toward selling in terms of interests and personality (i. e., Retail sales applicants) are more likely to distort answers to the EPPS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of corrections for faking on the validity of noncognitive measures in selection settings.

In selection research and practice, there have been many attempts to correct scores on noncognitive measures for applicants who may have faked their responses somehow. A related approach with more impact would be identifying and removing faking applicants from consideration for employment entirely, replacing them with high-scoring alternatives. The current study demonstrates that under typical conditions found in selection, even this latter approach has minimal impact on mean performance levels. Results indicate about .1 SD change in mean performance across a range of typical correlations between a faking measure and the criterion. Where trait scores were corrected only for suspected faking, and applicants not removed or replaced, the minimal impact the authors found on mean performance was reduced even further. By comparison, the impact of selection ratio and test validity is much larger across a range of realistic levels of selection ratios and validities. If selection researchers are interested only in maximizing predicted performance or validity, the use of faking measures to correct scores or remove applicants from further employment consideration will produce minimal effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Forced-choice assessments of personality for selection: Evaluating issues of normative assessment and faking resistance.

Recent research suggests multidimensional forced-choice (MFC) response formats may provide resistance to purposeful response distortion on personality assessments. It remains unclear, however, whether these formats provide normative trait information required for selection contexts. The current research evaluated score correspondences between an MFC format measure and 2 Likert-type measures in honest and instructed-faking conditions. In honest response conditions, scores from the MFC measure appeared valid indicators of normative trait standing. Under faking conditions, the MFC measure showed less score inflation than the Likert measure at the group level of analysis. In the individual-level analyses, however, the MFC measure was as affected by faking as was the Likert measure. Results suggest the MFC format is not a viable method to control faking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

More on forced-choice test fakability.

This study was made to determine if Gordon's Survey of Interpersonal Values might be subject to faking in a selection situation. A group of 50 College Extension Division students took the test first under a job set and then later under a vocational guidance set. The results from a correlational analysis, and an examination of individual score changes led to the following conclusions: (a) The test author's contention that this type of test (forced-choice format) is minimally susceptible to faking is open to some question in the case of the Survey of Interpersonal Values, (b) In this sample, 19% of the Ss changed their scores to a considerable extent under the 2 different administrative sets. This, suggests that forced-choice tests are not without hazard in some individual selection decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality measurement, faking, and detection: An assessment method for use in personnel selection.

Usual methods for personality assessment have been found unsuitable for use in personnel selection contexts. An alternative method of item construction and of scoring key and detection scale development for personality inventories is proposed. Results of a double cross-validation study based on 456 male Ss using 3 newly developed forced-choice inventories indicate that (a) over 90% of the test performance can be correctly identified as self-report or faked, (b) mean score profiles under the 2 conditions for the 5 personality variables under study are virtually congruent and variances under the faking condition are uniformly smaller, (c) validities against peer-nomination criteria are in the moderate range for all 5 variables and (d) Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 reliabilities between .83 and .92 were obtained. (27 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking good and faking bad on the Personality Inventory for Children—Revised, shortened format.

Examined the detection of faking good and faking bad on the Personality Inventory for Children—Revised (PIC—R) with a sample of 6–16 yr old outpatients in a mental health clinic. The PIC—R was administered twice to both Ss and their mothers, and faking instructions to fake good or bad were administered in the 2nd testing session. Results show that faking influenced all 12 clinical scales and the 4 broad-band scales. Detection of faking good is recommended by the use of the Lie scale and the Adjustment scale. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Body image, self-esteem, expectations, self-assessments, and actual success in a simulated job interview.

98 female undergraduates completed the Body Image Satisfaction Scale, Self-Cathexis Scale, Janis-Field-Eagly Self-Esteem Scale, and a job interview performance expectation scale prior to participating in a 15-min simulated job interview. After the job interviews, Ss rated their own performance. Two judges independently rated each S's performance by viewing videotapes of the job interviews. Expectations for job interview success were significantly related to both body satisfaction and self-esteem. Job interview self-ratings and the tendency to overrate or underestimate how well one actually performed were significantly related to self-esteem but not to body satisfaction. Body satisfaction was found to be subsumed by self-esteem in ability to predict interview expectations and self-assessments. Actual quality of interview performance was not related to either self-esteem or body attitudes. Discussion focuses on self-esteem consistency theory and implications for assisting applicants to assess more accurately their behavior in actual job interviews. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking and the validity of conscientiousness: A Monte Carlo investigation.

The article reports the findings from a Monte Carlo investigation examining the impact of faking on the criterion-related validity of Conscientiousness for predicting supervisory ratings of job performance. Based on a review of faking literature, 6 parameters were manipulated in order to model 4,500 distinct faking conditions (5 [magnitude] × 5 [proportion] × 4 [variability] × 3 [faking-Conscientiousness relationship] × 3 [faking-performance relationship] × 5 [selection ratio]). Overall, the results indicated that validity change is significantly affected by all 6 faking parameters, with the relationship between faking and performance, the proportion of fakers in the sample, and the magnitude of faking having the strongest effect on validity change. Additionally, the association between several of the parameters and changes in criterion-related validity was conditional on the faking-performance relationship. The results are discussed in terms of their practical and theoretical implications for using personality testing for employee selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variance in faking across noncognitive measures.

There are discrepant findings in the literature regarding the effects of applicant faking on the validity of noncognitive measures. One explanation for these mixed results may be the failure of some studies to consider individual differences in faking. This study demonstrates that there is considerable variance across individuals in the extent of faking 3 types of noncognitive measures (i.e., personality test, biodata inventory, and integrity test). Participants completed measures honestly and with instructions to fake. Results indicated some measures were more difficult to fake than others. The authors found that integrity, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were related to faking. In addition, individuals faked fairly consistently across the measures. Implications of these results and a model of faking that includes factors that may influence faking behavior are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of threat in a performance appraisal interview.

Real-life appraisal interviews conducted by 92 manager-subordinate pairs were studied intensively. Reactions of subordinates were systematically obtained before and after their appraisal interviews and the proceedings in the actual interviews were carefully documented by trained Os. Measures of subsequent performance improvement realized as a result of the appraisal interviews were taken 12 wk. later. The results indicated that a manager's attempts to assist a subordinate by pointing up improvement needs were likely to be perceived by the subordinate as threatening to his self-esteem and to result in defensive behavior. The greater the threat, the less favorable the attitude toward the appraisal system and the less the subsequent constructive improvement in job performance realized. These reactions were strong to the extent that the subordinate had relatively low occupational self-esteem. Some practical implications for appraisal practices are cited. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The over-claiming technique: Measuring self-enhancement independent of ability.

Over-claiming is a concrete operalization of self-enhancement based on respondents' ratings of their knowledge of various persons, events, products, and so on. Because 20% of the items are nonexistent, responses can be analyzed with signal detection formulas to index both response bias (over-claiming) and accuracy (knowledge). Study 1 demonstrated convergence of over-claiming with alternative measures of self-enhancement but independence from cognitive ability. In Studies 2-3, the validity of the over-claiming index held even when respondents were (a) warned about the foils or (b) asked to fake good. Study 3 also showed the utility of the over-claiming index for diagnosing faking. In Study 4, the over-claiming technique was applied to the debate over the adaptive value of positive illusions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Positive and negative faking on a forced-choice authoritarian scale.

"The effects of faking both favorably and unfavorably upon a forced-choice scale of authoritarianism… were studied… . There were large distribution changes resulting from a set to 'look bad' compared to the conventional set, but only small changes emerged from faking favorably. Furthermore, the scores obtained by the subjects under the faking conditions, especially with the negative set, were opposite in direction from the intentions of the testees and the expectations of the experimeters… . The utility of this nonpolitical derivative of the California F Scale was recommended for leadership research in industrial, as well as military, settings." 19 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response styles and faking on the Basic Personality Inventory.

Examined the influence of response styles and explored approaches to detect faking on the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI). The BPI is a construct-based inventory designed to measure traditional areas of pathological content. Three groups of Ss completed the BPI: 182 normal adults, 404 psychiatric inpatients, and 180 undergraduates. The latter group completed the BPI with instructions to either fake good, fake bad, or straight take. The BPI was scored for several measures of stylistic responding as well as for its 12 scales. Results of instructions to fake, of the incidence of stylistic responding, and of the detection of faking using 3-discriminant functions are reported. The effects of manipulation and of incidence of stylistic responding on the BPI are also discussed. (48 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking on the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study.

The Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study was administered to 42 Ss under standard instructions under instructions to "make the very best impression," and under instructions to "make the very worst impression." It was found that the scores are susceptible to considerable faking in both directions, with greater changes in the "worst" direction than in the "best" direction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal and situational factors in the recruitment interview.

Investigated the impact of various perceived recruitment interviewer traits, behaviors, and attitudes on job candidate interview evaluations and subjective probabilities of accepting a job. It was based on 112 1st- and 2nd-yr master's degree students at a graduate school of business and public administration. Results show that compared to the worst interviewers, the best ones had an impact such that candidates perceived: interest and concern from the interviewer, confrontation of the candidates' strengths and limitations, a younger successful man interviewing, and the possibility of a high salary. Candidates gave higher probabilities of accepting a job offer to those interviews in which they had an interest in receiving an offer, where the interviewer was seen as showing interest and concern for them, and where the interviewer discussed the careers of other employees with master's degrees in business administration in his company. An interaction among candidates' desires for mutually trusting and respectful interpersonal relations at work, their perception of the interpersonal qualities of their recruitment interviews, and their evaluation of the interviews was found. Candidates with higher interpersonal needs tended to perceive the best interviews as less interpersonally satisfying the worst interviews as more interpersonally satisfying than the candidates with lower interpersonal needs. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)