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This study was designed to examine the influence a potential date's physical attractiveness and sexual history has on an individual's intentions to engage in safer sex. Over 1,200 participants completed an Internet survey. The questionnaire presented a randomized biography and photograph and asked participants to rate their interest in dating and having a sexual relationship with the target. Participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions based on the target's physical attractiveness (low vs. high) and sexual experience (low, medium, or high). Results indicated that men reported greater intentions to have sex than women did, and all participants reported greater likelihood of having sex when the potential partner was highly attractive. Participants rated men and more experienced targets as more risky sexual partners, and the level of a target's sexual experience was directly related to participants' willingness to discuss sexual risks. Results indicate a continuing need to include discussion of cognitive factors in all HIV prevention efforts.

Objective: This project developed a new questionnaire format to facilitate the self-report of risky sexual behavior. This new format asked participants whether they or their partners initiated various sexual behaviors. It was predicted that allowing respondents to attribute their behaviors to others would facilitate the disclosure of risky sex. Method: College student participants were randomly assigned to one of two sexual behavior questionnaire formats (Initiation vs Standard). Results: Individuals assigned to the Initiation Questionnaire format, in comparison to Standard format, reported significantly more sexual partners during the past 1 and 3 months. Women reported significantly more unprotected oral sex during the previous 3 months using the Initiation format. Participants not in a committed relationship reported significantly more unprotected vaginal intercourse in the Initiation condition during the previous 1 and 3 months. Conclusion: The Initiation Questionnaire format may facilitate the self-report of risky sexual behavior.

A number of researchers (M. Conway & C. Giannopoulos, 1993; P. J. Watson & M. D. Biderman, 1993) have suggested that self-reflectiveness is an unhealthy aspect of private self-consciousness related to psychopathology. However, these studies did not control for the significant correlation that exists between self-reflectiveness and subscale factors of public self-consciousness: style consciousness and appearance consciousness. The purpose of this research was to address these interrelationships by comparing correlational results with those obtained from multiple regression analyses. Participants (N = 111) completed the Self-Consciousness Scale (A. Fenigstein, M. F. Scheier, & A. H. Buss, 1975) and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992). The results suggested that when the effects of style consciousness and appearance consciousness are controlled, the relationship between self-reflectiveness and neuroticism is nonsignificant. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses suggested a significant relationship between self-reflectiveness and low levels of agreeableness. Aspects of self-consciousness may be better understood in the context of overlapping domains that consider both common and unique variance.

The vulnerability of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory to self-presentation strategies was assessed through manipulation of instructional set. Research participants were randomly assigned to one of five instructional sets including general fake good and bad conditions, a control condition, and two conditions directing participants to produce profiles that would maximize their chances of gaining admission to either the police academy or a graduate program in psychology. Analysis suggested that individuals instructed to fake were able to produce profiles consistent with the instructional sets provided. General fake-good and fake-bad profiles were identified and criteria were developed to detect faking in individual profiles. Caution was suggested when using this inventory in assessment situations in which self-presentation strategic; may be employed.

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The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend Hui's (2001) findings of effectiveness of the double‐rating method. To address a statistical analysis concern in Hui's original study, this study employed 2 measures of social desirability: the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS; Crowne & Marlowe, 1964) and the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR; Paulhus, 1984, 1988). For both scales, participants in the single‐rating method condition had higher social desirability scores than did those in the double‐rating method. There were also positive correlations between socially desirable responses for others and socially desirable responses for self. However, only for the BIDR did participants respond for themselves in the manner that they believed fellow students would respond.