Abstract
The effectiveness of warnings at decreasing faking behavior on personality tests in the employment selection context along with test-taker reactions to those warnings were examined. CSUS undergrads were told to pretend they were job applicants, and were given written warnings along with the BIDR-IM and the NEO-FFI questionnaires, which were used to detect faking. Participants were most honest when they were first presented with a warning that informed them that items designed to detect faking exist in the personality test and if they are caught faking on the test, they will not be eligible for the prize offered for participation. Warnings which tap into test-takers’ subjective norms and beliefs about faking were also effective at reducing faking behavior, but to a lesser degree. Also, test-takers did not have either positive or negative reactions to the warnings. These findings support the use of warnings in the selection context.