Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 16 (2018) > e16002

Socially desirable and non-purposeful responding on the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Personality Inventory-Revised

Larry C. Bernard, R. Patricia Walsh

Abstract

This study explores socially desirable and non-purposeful responding on the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Personality Inventory - Revised (NEO PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992), an objective measure of the “Big Five” personality traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. The NEO PI-R's three validity-check items were examined in relation to the traditional, lengthier validity scale of ano1her objective personality measure, the Personality Research Form (PRF: Jackson, 1999). In a sample of 237 university students. none of the NEO Pl-R's validity check items were significantly correlated with the PRF Desirability. In addition. the PRF Infrequency scale (non-purposeful responding) was significantly corelated with one and the Desirability scale with four NEO Pl-R scales, and PRF Desirability and Infrequency scores jointly predicted Conscientiousness scores. The implications are discussed and interestingly, may provide support for the Conscientiousness scale construct, because four of five NEO PI-R scales may be obliquely related by a higher-order factor of social desirability.