Social Desirability And Self-Reported Embarrassing Behaviors: Computer-Assisted And Live Interviews Versus Daily Monitoring
Date of Graduation
Summer 2001
Degree
Master of Science in Psychology
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
James Davis
Abstract
Accurate assessment is important for psychological research and applications. When behaviors are embarrassing accuracy may be compromised. Additionally, persons with higher levels of social approval might underreport the frequency of embarrassing behaviors. Which methods of assessment could be more accurate? In study 1, 16 behaviors were rated for embarrassment and frequency. Study 2 compares three self-reporting alternatives: 1, daily self-monitoring with web-based monitoring, 2, computer assisted interviews, and 3, live interviews. Self-monitoring demonstrated test-retest reliabilities ranging from .40 to .94, and compared favorably to subjective estimates of behaviors. Computer assisted and live interviews resulted in highly similar estimates of the embarrassing behaviors. However, both interview strategies produced lower frequencies of several behaviors than when reported during daily web-assisted self-monitoring. Participants' social desirability scores were not related to underreporting.
Subject Categories
Psychology
Copyright
© Michael Metz
Recommended Citation
Metz, Michael, "Social Desirability And Self-Reported Embarrassing Behaviors: Computer-Assisted And Live Interviews Versus Daily Monitoring" (2001). MSU Graduate Theses. 1732.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1732
Dissertation/Thesis
