Publication Date

8-1-2006

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Science of Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Abstract

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is a 567-item questionnaire used by psychologists to help diagnose mental disorders. The effectiveness of the MMPI-2 validity scales (F, Fp, F-K, and Ds-r2) were evaluated by asking college students to respond honestly or fake bad on the MMPI-2. Each scale was scored in the usual manner, but as a group they were evaluated in a noncompensatory fashion. That is, failing even one scale was interpreted as a faked response. MMPI-2 protocols of all participants were analyzed to determine if the validity scales were able to accurately identify which subjects faked and which answered honestly. Participants were randomly assigned to a faking bad or honest condition. The participants in the faking group were given brief instruction regarding the symptoms of schizophrenia and were informed of the detection system built into the test. The four validity scales (F, Fp, F-K, and Ds-r2 were able to correctly identify a significant percentage of the test takers as either answering honestly or faking bad.

Disciplines

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

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