Effects of experimentally induced response sets in assessing eysenckian dimensions of personality

Abstract

Using induced motivation to fake (MF) and induced fear of detection of faking (FD) as independent variables, 2 x 2 factorial design, with 30 subjects in each of the four groups, has been employed with N, P, E and L scales of the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (JEPQ) as the dependent variables. The experimentally induced response sets did not influence the normality of the distributions and variances of the JEPQ scales. Correlations between P and L scales, and N and P scales significantly increased with induced MF especially when FD was not induced. Experimental instructions appear to have induced moderate MF which increased the mean of the L scale, but did not change the means of N, P and E scales. The deterrent role of FD to control the influence of MF is also demonstrated, FD decreasing the L scores and increasing the N and P scores. It is argued that induced FD, as a deterrent, should be used only in situations with high levels of MF and is not recommended in situations with low levels of MF.