This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Tracy, R. L. Articles by Fiske, D. W. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Does Information About Personality Scales Affect Responses and Attitudes? 1

The University of Chicago

Donald W. Fiske

The University of Chicago

This study investigated the effects of giving subjects additional information about personality tests. One group received only standard instructions; a second group also had an opportunity to examine typical items; a third had, in addition, an oral exposition of one variable—either the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale or the Similes Preference Inventory. Additional information was associated with slightly more positive attitudes but did not increase response homogeneity or the uniformity of subjects' perceptions of the variable being measured. It was concluded that, when a subject is given the task of describing himself, his responses are determined primarily by his interaction with each item, rather than by general attitudes elicited by the instructions.

Educational and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 34, No. 3, 617-629 (1974)
DOI: 10.1177/001316447403400314


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?