Problem: Please summarize the following text.
Why was the person variance larger in the applicant in comparison to the general conditions for the Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness scales? This finding seems inconsistent with the findings from the Christiansen (1998) study that found the pre-post correlation between alternate measures of several personality constructs to be consistently lower for a group that was told to respond as if they were applying on the second administration in comparison to a group that was told to answer honestly on both administrations. Christiansen (1998) interpreted this finding as evidence that faking causes a reduction in "true variance." However, Christiansen's (1998) assumption that a low correlation between a general and applicant instructions condition is de facto evidence of a reduction in true variance is not in keeping with the findings of the present study. Our results suggest that Christiansen's findings could perhaps be indicative of an increase in true variance because an increase in person variance in the current study would not have been evidenced if response distortion in the form of intentional faking were playing a major role. Consistent with the situational-dispositional representation of personality traits, when one is asked to respond to a personality measure for a given situation (e.g., applying for a sales position), situational "noise" is apt to be reduced and more relevant, "true" variance is apt to be increased. Need Assignment Help?