Positive response distortion by police officer applicants: association of Paulhus Deception Scales With MMPI-2 and Inwald Personality Inventory Validity Scales

Interpretation of positive response distortion (socially desirable responding) in employment evaluations is an important validity issue. This study of police officer applicants examined the construct validity of the Paulhus Deception Scales (PDS)-Moralistic Bias (MB; exaggerated adjustment/agreeableness) and Egoistic Bias (EB; exaggerated power/ status)-in relation to validity scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; L, K, and S) and Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI; Guardedness). In regression analyses, MB was significantly associated with each validity scale (particularly L and Guardedness), whereas EB was significantly, but weakly, associated with L only. MB is consistent with response distortion as reflected in L ("perfect" adjustment/personality) and Guardedness (denial of shortcomings/faults). EB is a unique form of response distortion that is not reflected in MMPI-2 or IPI validity scales. The relevance of EB to self-assessment among police officer applicants is an important practical concern in personnel selection and an important theoretical question for future response distortion research.