THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL DESIRABILITY AND VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIALS: IMPLICATIONS FOR PERSONALITY MEASUREMENT

ABSTRACT

The main aim of this research was to explore the biological bases of social desirability with possible implications for future personality measurement. Fifty four female psychology students (Mage = 20 years) participated in the research. Social desirability was measured with Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire – Revised version (Eysenck, Eysenck & Barrett, 1985). The evoked brain potentials (N1, P2, N2, P3 & SW) were elicited by a standard visual oddball paradigm, in two measuring trials for each subject, using two occipital and two parietal electrodes. The results revealed a positive correlation between subjects’ results on the social desirability subscale and visual N2-P3-Sw-latency on occipital and parietal electrodes. These findings confirmed earlier research results about prolonged EP-latencies during information processing in giving more socially desirable answers during self-rating at personality questionnaires. Consequently, current findings generate possible implications for improving personality assessment methodology.

KEYWORDS: event-related potentials, social desirability, students, personality assessment, implications

PAGES: 99-113