Factor Analytic Procedures for Assessing Social Desirability in Binary Items

Abstract

This article proposes and describes factor-analytic procedures for assessing and controlling socially desirable responding in binary personality items. The basic procedures are applications of the restricted (confirmatory) item factor analysis model for ordered-categorical variables. Orthogonal and oblique solutions based on marker variables are discussed. Next, the basic procedures are extended so that validity relations with external non-test variables can be assessed. Two empirical applications are given, and the substantive implications of the results are discussed.