Social Desirability and Undesirability Effects on Survey Response latencies

Abstract

This article looks at paradata in the form of response latencies to identify socially desirable response behaviour. Response latencies are used as proxies to infer information processing modes. So far, evidence is conflicted as to whether socially desirable responding is indicated by shorter or longer response latencies. Our results show that faster responses are associated with the reporting of desirable attitudes and behaviour while slower responses are linked with those that are undesirable. Trait desirability measures that do not take this difference in direction into account may be responsible for the often contradictory results of various researchers who have employed the method in the past.