Self-deception and Other-deception in Personality Assessment: Detection and Implications

The present study utilized multiple methods of detecting self-deception and other-deception and explored potential implications for organizations hiring individuals exhibiting these tendencies. Participants were 242 undergraduate business students who completed self-ratings of extraversion and agreeableness under both ¿answer honestly¿ instructions and ¿answer as if you are applying for a job¿ instructions. Additionally, they completed the impression management and self-deceptive enhancement scales of the BIDR, the fake good scale and the good impression scale of the CPI, and took part in a role play with a trained observer. Individuals who knew the participants well provided ratings of participants¿ adjustment, integrity, interpersonal skills, satisfaction with life, extraversion and agreeableness. Results suggested that participants who had views of themselves that were closely aligned with the views of those who knew them well were rated as having higher levels of adjustment, integrity, interpersonal skills, and satisfaction with life. Measures of other-deception were positively related to levels of adjustment, integrity, and interpersonal skills while self-deception was associated with higher levels of interpersonal skills and lower levels of satisfaction with life. Future research is warranted to determine whether these results are observed in the applicant population