How do applicants fake? A response process model of faking on multidimensional forced‐choice personality assessments

Abstract

Faking on personality assessments remains an unsolved issue, raising major concerns regarding their validity and fairness. Although there is a large body of quantitative research investigating the response process of faking on personality assessments, for both rating scales (RS) and multidimensional forced choice (MFC), only a few studies have yet qualitatively investigated the faking cognitions when responding to MFC in a high-stakes context (e.g., Sass et al., 2020). Yet, it could be argued that only when we have a process model that adequately describes the response decisions in high stakes, can we begin to extract valid and useful information from assessments. Thus, this qualitative study investigated the faking cognitions when responding to MFC personality assessment in a high-stakes context. Through cognitive interviews with N = 32 participants, we explored and identified factors influencing the test-takers' decisions regarding specific items and blocks, and factors influencing the willingness to engage in faking in general. Based on these findings, we propose a new response process model of faking forcedchoice items, the Activate-Rank-Edit-Submit (A-R-E-S) model. We also make four recommendations for practice of high-stakes assessments using MFC.

Faking resistance of a quasi‐ipsative RIASEC occupational interest measure

“…Although a deep and comprehensive review of these studies is beyond the scope of our present research, we provide a brief review of theoretical models of faking to place our own study in proper context and to heed the call for theory in the study of faking (cf. Fuechtenhans & Brown, 2023; Griffith & Peterson, 2011). Snell et al (1999) was one of the first to propose a model of faking on noncognitive assessments in which they posited that faking was an interactive function of ability and motivation.…”