Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSDS)
Psychology: PersonalityReliability: alpha 0.88 (KR-20)3 sample items
About this scale
A 33-item True/False measure of the tendency to give socially desirable responses, classically used as a control for response bias. Short forms (Reynolds 13- and 12-item) are widely used.
Sample item(s)
“Before voting I thoroughly investigate the qualifications of all the candidates”
“I never hesitate to go out of my way to help someone in trouble”
“No matter who I'm talking to, I'm always a good listener”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.88 (KR-20). As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Foundational SD measure but somewhat dated; SDS-17 is the modern alternative.
Source & citation
Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1960): A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 349–354.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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