Comparison of Social Desirability Effects on the Epps in Relation to Ratings of Compatibility or Incompatibility of the Needs

Abstract

The mutually facilitating or inhibiting property of the needs of the EPPS, as measured by compatibility-incompatibility (CI) ratings, is an important determinant of the need-profiles; for the nine compatible needs it is a more important determinant than is the SD property of the needs. A tendency toward different functioning of the CI and SD ratings is noticeable on the compatible needs and marked on the incompatible needs. For all Ss, regardless of group, and for each set of needs, the scores are a direct linear expression of SD and a simple curvilinear expression of CI. SD mostly determines profile differences between men and women, while CI mostly determines profile differences between college students and adults.