Assessment order and faking behavior

Abstract

Personality testing is a critical component of organizational assessment and selection processes. Despite nearly a century of research recognizing faking as a concern in personality assessment, the impact of order effects on faking has not been thoroughly examined. This study investigates whether the sequence of administering personality and cognitive ability measures affects the extent of faking. Previous research suggests administering personality measures early in the assessment process to mitigate adverse impact; however, models of faking behavior and signaling theory imply that test order could influence faking. In two simulated applicant laboratory studies (Study 1 N = 172, Study 2 N = 174), participants were randomly assigned to complete personality measures either before or after cognitive ability tests. Results indicate that participants who completed personality assessments first exhibited significantly higher levels of faking compared to those who took cognitive ability tests first. These findings suggest that the order of test administration influences faking, potentially due to the expenditure of cognitive resources during cognitive ability assessments. To enhance the integrity of selection procedures, administrators should consider the sequence of test administration to mitigate faking and improve the accuracy of personality assessments. This study also underscores the need for continued exploration of contextual factors influencing faking behavior. Future research should investigate the mechanisms driving these order effects and develop strategies to reduce faking in personality assessments.