Scale Overview & Construct
5-item scale measuring the tendency to give socially desirable responses.
Psychometric Instrument
Likert Self-Report
Dimensional Breakdown
Server-Side Validated
Purpose & Measurement Objectives
5-item scale measuring the tendency to give socially desirable responses. Based on your answers to its 5 items, you'll get a single overall score showing how strongly this pattern applies to you right now. Taking it helps you understand how you tend to think or feel in this social context, compared to assuming it.
Instrument Specifications
Target Population
Teachers, Educators & Faculty
Administration Format
Self-Administered
Intended Domain / Purpose
Research & Empirical Study
Recommended Age Bracket
Adults (18+ yrs)
Duration & Pacing
5 Minutes (Self-Paced)
Access License
Open Creative Commons
Academic Citation & Instrument Provenance
When referencing this instrument in research, academic theses, or clinical institutional audits, please cite the original author publication:
License: Public Domain. Citation: Hays, R. D., Hayashi, T., & Stewart, A. L. (1989). A five-item measure of socially desirable response set. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 49(3), 629–636.
Governance, Boundaries & Ethical Use
Construct Boundaries & Interpretive Limitations
Imported from the OpenScales open item-bank project. This specific digital implementation has not been independently clinically validated by PsiQ — scores are for self-reflection, research, and educational purposes only.
License: Public Domain. Citation: Hays, R. D., Hayashi, T., & Stewart, A. L. (1989). A five-item measure of socially desirable response set. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 49(3), 629–636.