Table 2.
Final 21-item modified Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS) Factor Structure Matrix Rotated to the Geomin Criterion
| Factor 1 | Factor 2 | h2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item in the full MCSDS | Item description: | Civil & Lawful impression | Integrous Image boosting | |
| 3 | It is sometimes hard for me to go on with my work if I am not encouraged | 0.520 | -0.174 | 0.244 |
| 4 | I have never intensely disliked anyone. (T) | 0.601 | -0.113 | 0.331 |
| 6 | I sometimes feel resentful when I don’t get my way. | 0.677 | -0.151 | 0.417 |
| 9 | If I could get into a movie without paying and be sure I was not seen, I would probably do it. | 0.511 | 0.028 | 0.27 |
| 10 | On a few occasions, I have given up something because I thought too little of my ability. | 0.517 | -0.096 | 0.246 |
| 12 | There have been times when I felt like rebelling against people in authority even though I knew they were right. | 0.599 | -0.003 | 0.358 |
| 14 | I can remember “playing sick” to get out of something. | 0.560 | 0.175 | 0.405 |
| 15 | There have been occasions when I have taken advantage of someone | 0.499 | 0.257 | 0.395 |
| 19 | I sometimes try to get even rather than forgive and forget. | 0.453 | 0.089 | 0.238 |
| 22 | At times I have really insisted on having things my own way. | 0.442 | -0.061 | 0.183 |
| 23 | There have been occasions when I felt like smashing things. | 0.545 | 0.116 | 0.35 |
| 28 | There have been times when I was quite jealous of the good fortune of others. | 0.649 | 0.081 | 0.46 |
| 30 | I am sometimes irritated by people who ask favors of me. | 0.442 | 0.111 | 0.239 |
| 5 | On occasions I have had doubts about my ability to succeed in life. | 0.06 | 0.496 | 0.268 |
| 8 | My table manners at home are as good as when I eat out in a restaurant. (T) | 0.153 | 0.433 | 0.252 |
| 13 | No matter who I’m talking to, I’m always a good listener. (T) | -0.009 | 0.688 | 0.47 |
| 16 | I’m always willing to admit it when I make a mistake. (T) | 0.115 | 0.510 | 0.309 |
| 17 | I always try to practice what I preach. (T) | 0.004 | 0.523 | 0.275 |
| 21 | I am always courteous, even to people who are disagreeable. (T) | -0.008 | 0.632 | 0.396 |
| 29 | I have almost never felt the urge to tell someone off. (T) | -0.051 | 0.427 | 0.171 |
| 33 | I have never deliberately said something that hurt someone’s feelings. (T) | 0.135 | 0.486 | 0.296 |
note: item 1 was dropped due to concerns made by participants during data collection; coefficients more than |0.40| are in bold and retained; items 2,7,11,18,20,24,25,26,27,31,32 of the original MCSDS were removed due to low coefficients less than |0.40| or cross-loadings; all items were significant; h2 is the communality coefficient; (T) represents “True” responses, and is thus reverse scored.