Socially desirable responding in personality assessment: Still more substance than style

Moderated multiple regression analyses were employed to test the validity of the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability (MCSD) as an indicator of inaccuracy in self ratings of personality. Self ratings on the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the MCSD were collected from 222 college students. Informant ratings using the NEO-FFI were gathered from 128 randomly assigned roommates and 183 biological parents of these students. MCSD scores were not associated with lower agreement between self ratings and informant ratings in any of the 15 moderator tests conducted. MCSD scores were positively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness as rated by the self, roommate, and parent. Higher MCSD scores are not indicative of lower validity of self ratings. Alternative interpretations of the MCSD are discussed.