A five-factor nuclear model of socially desirable responding

Abstract

We postulate a minimum of five group factors, each representing a specific content area or domain in which deception can be practised. Each group factor is determined by a general deception factor (delta) and a factor specific unto itself. The general factor favors greater sensitivity in females while a given specific factor may favor one gender, the other, or neither. The distinction between contents in general (alpha/gamma) and style (attribution/denial) is blurred in that a given group factor may underlie any mixture of items varying across the four combinations possible. We discuss the nature of delta in terms of genetic and environmental influences during early and later development.