Approval motivation and situational judgment tests: The role of personality and implicit trait policies

Abstract

The effects of faking on situational judgment test (SJT) scores have only recently been explored. The research reported here tested a model linking an individual difference frequently associated with social desirability, approval motivation, with SJT score through its associations with agreeableness, conscientiousness, and implicit trait policies (ITPs) for those traits. One-hundred fifty-seven undergraduates completed a managerial SJT along with a measure assessing personality. Approval motivation was assessed using the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Results indicated that approval motivation is correlated with SJT score and the ITP for conscientiousness. Path analyses revealed approval motivation is causally related to SJT score through its influence on the ITP for conscientiousness, and is also linked to conscientiousness and agreeableness. Findings extend ITP theory (Motowidlo, Hooper, & Jackson, 2006a) by suggesting that personality traits are associated with SJT scores through their causal influence on their ITPs.