Date of Award

12-2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Gary Burns

Second Advisor

Nicholas Weatherly

Third Advisor

Richard Griffith

Fourth Advisor

Patrick Converse

Abstract

Applicant faking behavior (AFB) on personality measures remains a major concern in selection context. This study introduces a new construct of “disparity” which captures the difference between individuals’ self-evaluation personality score and the perceived ideal applicants’ personality score. Based on the Perceptual Control Theory (PTC), applicant will generate intention to fake in order to close the perceptional gap between an ideal applicant and themselves to increase their chances of getting hired. The study distinguishes intention to fake and actual faking behaviors as two separate constructs. Specifically, the study empirically examined the effect of disparity on applicant faking behaviors through intention to fake as mediator. The results suggested perceived disparity positively predicted applicant faking behaviors. In addition, job desirability significantly moderated the relationship between disparity and intention to fake. Furthermore, when job capability was at low level (-SD below the mean), job desirability as the first stage moderator significantly moderated the relationship between disparity of extraversion and regression adjusted difference score of extraversions through intention to fake.

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