Machivellian Effects on the Ability to Impression Manage and Judge Personality in INterview Situations
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Date
27/06/2008Item status
Restricted AccessAuthor
Meldrum, Jerome
Metadata
Abstract
Research has established that when asked to fill out self-report personality inventories, participants are able to impression manage their answers in a desired direction in laboratory and real life settings. Research has since focussed on possible ways with which to tackle the problem and reduce the effect of impression management on scale validities. Little research has apparently been conducted to find out how effectively impression managed personality can be conveyed to an interviewer. Similarly little research has been conducted into finding out the trait characteristics of a good impression manager and a good judge of personality. The present study seeks to investigate these points and hypothesises that Machiavellianism will act as a predictor both in terms of how accurately judges pick up on accuracy and how well applicants will be able to convey an impression managed personality with higher MACs being predicted as being better in both conditions. The study used filmed interviews of participants in an impression managed condition after being asked to fill out an IPIP questionnaire for both their honest personality and their personality if they were applying for the role of a financial planner. Videos were then shown to new participants who were asked to judge a targets’ personality using the IPIP scale. It was found that overall there were large differences between rated scores and both real and faked answers. However, it was found that lower MACs were able to judge traits of conscientiousness and emotional stability. Machivellianism was found not to be a predictor of ability to fake or judges’ accuracy in identification. It was concluded that it would not be beneficial to include a MACH-IV test in an application process and that other methods should be used to stop impression management. It was also concluded that MAC testing could be used to identify the most suitable interviewers although further research would be needed in this area.