PSYCHOMETRIC TRUTHS IN THE ABSENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL MEANING - A REPLYTO ZUCKERMAN AND KNEE

M. Zuckerman and C.R. Knee (1996) contend that the relationship we rep orted between self-enhancement and psychological maladjustment (C.R. C olvin, J. Block, D.C. Funder, 1995) is ''not warranted'' because a dif ference score was used to operationalize self-enhancement. In this art icle we discuss the issues raised by Zuckerman and Knee, the warnings historically issued about the use of difference scores, and the proble ms associated with alternative statistical procedures. We conclude tha t difference scores can provide statistically valid and psychologicall y meaningful results.