Social desirability in the selection process: new insights from a novel context

Abstract

In this study we examined whether past research on social desirability based on western samples could be generalized to a novel environment, such as Singapore. We also investigated whether cultural orientations predict the inflation of personality scores in the selection process and whether they influence the effectiveness of social desirability correction. Using survey data collected at two points from 324 undergraduate business students (166 students from the United States and 158 students from Singapore), the results of this within-subject design study were mixed. Specifically, while social desirability inflated scores on personality measures, it also increased their criterion validity in Singapore. Additionally, self-deception enhancement (SDE) predicted the inflation of openness to experience scores in the United States. Finally, in the sample from the United States, correcting for SDE increased the criterion validity of personality measures to a greater extent for those who scored high on horizontal individualism (HI) than it did for those who scored low on HI.Hiring the right people is vital for organizational success and survival, making the personnel selection process a key human resource (HR) function for managers and HR professionals. However, hiring employees is not straightforward and the personnel selection process is filled with challenges for the HR department. To aid managers and HR professionals in their quest Key points 1 Social desirability has been examined mainly in the United States and Europe. 2 Testing whether culture influences social desirability correction provides guidance to researchers and practitioners. 3 The social desirability and personality score inflation relationship may also be impacted by culture.

Harmonization of Multicultural Awareness and Intercultural Relations among Multiracial Society in Malaysia

“…In particular, the present study is initiated to enhance the magnitude of intercultural awareness to which was measured by the Multicultural Awareness Scale (MAS) (refers, Awang-Rozaimie et al, 2012). Ironically, the social desirability (Li et al, 2013) influences have identified as contributed causal to the little factors' reliability of MAS and the need for further scale's enhancement.…”

“…Eliminating response-bias and possibilities of the social-desirability problem is important to ensure the trustfulness of the survey result. Besides, a control experimental group (involves the participants within the same ethnic group) is recommended in the future study in order to examine the impact of social desirability against the measured instrument, especially in regard to the intercultural interactions (Caprara et al, 1993;Li et al, 2013). Although different groups are incorporated, the aim of the present study is to confirm the new measure to assess the magnitude of multicultural awareness.…”

Publishing personal information online

“…Given the nature of LinkedIn, it is therefore possible that job seekers could create online profiles which could be purposely manipulated to portray what they consider to be a desirable impression. This concept of social desirability in selection has previously been explored in relation to personality testing (Li et al, 2012) but less so in relation to SNS profiles. One study which explored students' intended Facebook image did suggest that many (but not all) students attempt to portray a specific image (Peluchette and Karl, 2010).…”