FACE MANAGEMENT, QUESTION WORDING, AND SOCIAL DESIRABILITY

Five experiments were conducted to examine the impact of question word ing manipulations derived from face management theory (Brown & Levinso n, 1987) on responses to survey questions. In general, it was expected that questions phrased so as to allow the respondent to maintain face while answering in a socially undesirable manner would result in lowe r rates of socially desirable responding than would control questions. The results strongly supported this hypothesis for questions regardin g socially desirable knowledge (e.g., Are you familiar with NAFTA?), b ut not for questions about socially desirable behavior (e.g., Did you vote?). The results were partially supportive for questions about soci ally undesirable behaviors (e.g., Have you ever shoplifted?).