Impression Management in the Ethical Self-Presentation of Offenders Undergoing Presentence Evaluation

Abstract

Ethical choices were assessed for offenders instructed to produce favorable versus unfavorable impressions. Pronounced impression management effects were obtained for prosocial and antisocial responses, and high scores on a dimension of change defined by these variables were related to sociopathic features on the MMPI. Highly consistent trends did not emerge for avoidance responses, although a secondary dimension of change was identified which contrasted avoidance with antisocial alternatives and was associated with increasing age, numerous prior incarcerations, and a defensive-repressive MMPI pattern. The findings were discussed in terms of their relevance for understanding the impression management manipulations likely to be encountered during the evaluation of different types of offenders.