Scale Analysis

The Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS) is a widely used psychometric tool designed to measure individuals’ tendency to present themselves in a socially desirable manner rather than responding with complete honesty. The scale consists of a series of statements to which participants are asked to respond with “True” or “False,” depending on whether the statement applies to them. These statements are formulated in such a way as to reveal the tendency toward social desirability, meaning the individual’s inclination to present themselves in a positive, socially acceptable light. The analysis of responses provides information about the degree to which a person may distort their self-image in order to conform to social norms. This scale is important in psychological assessment because it helps in understanding individuals’ behaviors and motivations, as well as in interpreting the results of other psychological tests while considering the potential influence of social desirability.

Scale Objective

The objective of this scale is to measure the tendency of individuals to present themselves in ways that are socially acceptable rather than being completely honest in their responses. This is important because social desirability can affect the results of psychological and social research by distorting the true image and behavior of individuals. The scale helps researchers and psychologists identify and account for this tendency, allowing them to assess other aspects of personality and behavior with greater accuracy and reliability. In this way, the scale contributes to improving the validity and reliability of psychometric tests and research findings.

Calibration

The MCSDS-11 scale consists of 11 items, which are scored as follows:
Attribution: Add 1 point if you mark “True” for the following items: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, and 33.
Denial: Add 1 point if you mark “False” for the following items: 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19, 22, 23, 28, 30, 32.

Bibliography

Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24, 349–354.
Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1964). The Approval Motive: Studies in Evaluative Dependence. New York: Wiley.
Reynolds, W. M. (1982). Development of reliable and valid short forms of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 119–125.
Loo, R., & Thorpe, K. (2000). Confirmatory factor analyses of the full and short versions of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. The Journal of Social Psychology, 140, 628–635.