Social Desirability Scale (SDS-17, Stöber)
Psychology: PersonalityReliability: alpha 0.753 sample items
About this scale
A 17-item modern revision of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, used as a control variable for self-presentation bias in surveys.
Sample item(s)
“I sometimes litter (reverse)”
“I always eat a healthy diet”
“If someone asks me for a favour, I always think twice about what I will get out of it (reverse)”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.75. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Free for academic use; preferred over the older Marlowe-Crowne.
Source & citation
Stöber, J. (2001): The Social Desirability Scale-17 (SDS-17): Convergent validity, discriminant validity, and relationship with age. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 222–232.
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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