People can attempt to fake multiple choice psychometry tests in several ways:
Studying the job description and company culture to determine desirable traits, then selecting answers that align with those traits. For example, an applicant for an accounting job may strongly endorse questions about being organized and detail-oriented. Learn more with research citations
Consistently selecting socially desirable or positive-sounding options, even if they don't accurately reflect the person's true traits or behaviors.
Trying to identify which questions measure specific traits and answering accordingly, especially if the applicant has knowledge of personality testing.
For tests with repeated or rephrased questions, carefully tracking answers to maintain consistency rather than answering naturally. Read what users say
Researching common personality test questions and ideal answers online before taking the assessment.
Exaggerating positive traits and downplaying negative ones by choosing more extreme positive options and avoiding negative ones.
However, many modern personality tests incorporate methods to detect and reduce faking:
Using forced-choice formats where applicants must choose between equally desirable options, but creating such formats is extremely difficult process.
Including subtle questions that are harder to fake without understanding what they truly measure, but traditional psychometric models have set of static questions.
Employing statistical techniques to identify inconsistent or unlikely response patterns, but this is unsolved problem, you may have to conduct lie-detection tests.
Adding "lie scales" or social desirability measures to detect overly positive self-presentation.
While some degree of improvement may be possible, gaming even a well-designed personality tests is not difficult (Read what users say). Many experts argue that it is observed such that in the time of job crisis, candidates go to farther extent to faking a personality test and later that becomes counterproductive, potentially leading to poor job fit and increased stress if hired into a mismatched role.
Incorporating video responses into psychometric assessments is a better approach that can potentially reduce faking and provide more comprehensive insights. Here's how video responses can be used and their potential impact on reducing deception in psychometric tests:
Spontaneous reactions: Video responses capture spontaneous facial expressions, body language, and verbal cues, making it harder for candidates to fake their responses.
Timed responses: Requiring quick, on-the-spot answers leaves less time for candidates to formulate deceptive responses.
Behavioral analysis: AI-powered software can analyze facial expressions, tone of voice, and other non-verbal cues to assess authenticity and emotional responses.
Situational judgment tests: Video scenarios can present realistic workplace situations, requiring candidates to respond naturally, which is harder to fake than written responses.
Language analysis: Advanced AI can analyze speech patterns, word choice, and linguistic markers that may indicate deception or authenticity.
Multi-modal assessment: Combining video responses with traditional multiple-choice questions provides a more holistic view of the candidate.
Increased engagement: Video responses can be more engaging for candidates, potentially leading to more genuine interactions.
Cultural fit assessment: Video responses allow recruiters to gauge how well a candidate might fit into the company culture.
Consistency checks: Comparing video responses to written answers can help identify inconsistencies that may indicate faking.
Stress response observation: Video formats can reveal how candidates handle pressure, which is harder to fake than self-reported stress management skills.
While video responses can significantly reduce faking, they're not foolproof. Skilled actors may still find ways to present an idealized version of themselves, otherwise study shows culture-fit assessment with video responses have much higher success rate.