Social desirability effects in simulated work teams - International Journal of Public Administration
Abstract
Stimulated by disparate empirical findings, an experimental study with federal managers (N = 129) tested for differential effects of Low vs. High Social Desirability (SD) under two “objective” conditions -- simulated membership in a “good” vs. a “bad” work team. A simple and economical experimental manipulation successfully induced the two conditions and, overall, the expected differential effects of SD were observed. Treatment order confounds the interpretation of results, however, and revisions in the design are required for a more definitive test of the present approach.