Social desirability: definition, aspects and characteristics

The human being is a gregarious animal by nature. Since the dawn of its evolution as a species, it has lived in groups of a more or less large size, although not as large as the current ones, collaborating in the tasks necessary to survive.

All of this has led to most people showing a special interest in relating to their peers, especially in vital periods as critical as adolescence.

In this article we will address the concept of social desirability, which sinks its roots in this evolutionary baggage and which is expressed vehemently in multiple areas of life, conditioning our decisions and relationships.

• Recommended article: "What is social psychology?"

concept of social desirability

social desirability It can be understood as a response style, or as a behavior trend, in situations where there is a component of judgment on the part of others..

It collects a series of attributes, thoughts, acts and beliefs that are valued (by the belonging group) as acceptable; Therefore, a reward is derived for its adherence and a sanction (or rejection) for its non-compliance.

Because most human beings want to show a favorable image to others, which often takes the form of masks whose purpose is hide everything that is perceived as unacceptable, there would be a pressure directed to adjust the individuality to adapt it to the molds of the expectation. Thus, the intricacies of true identity would only be shown to people whose bond would guarantee acceptance and validation.

The most intense expression of social desirability would occur if we perceived a notable discrepancy between what we believe being and what others expect of us, especially when we assign a high positive value to acceptance and a high negative value to acceptance. rejection.

The importance of this concept is such that it is estimated that it can influence the results of the psychological evaluation., especially in the field of human resources and the clinic. For this reason, various authors have included specific scales to detect it within tools that measure constructs such as personality structure or job performance, thereby specifying a margin of error attributable to the need for approval from the evaluating.

Why does social desirability exist?

The search for affiliation has been the object of interest both for basic psychology and for evolutionary, clinical and social aspects.. Even abraham maslow, one of the most relevant humanists, placed it in the very heart of his popular pyramid of needs (above physiological and security, and below personal recognition and self-actualization); emphasizing that, after covering the most basic aspects for survival, social relationships would be the last link from which to conquer personal transcendence.

At present there are many studies that highlight the extraordinary negative impact of the absence of affection or affection on human brain development, especially in the moment in which a deprivation of the basic care of the newborn is evident, whose central nervous system is immersed in an intense process of maturation. Unwanted loneliness also has a deleterious effect on old age, increasing morbidity and reducing life expectancy.

And it is that the human being needs the collaboration with other members of the same species to deal with the vicissitudes of the environment. Thousands of years ago, when societies lacked a structure as we know it today, communities were made up of small groups of individuals who acted in a coordinated manner to meet individual needs, isolation being an inexorable death sentence (predators, accidents etc).

Humans who lived together had a greater chance of surviving and continuing their gene pool through reproduction, facilitating the transmission of traits that would stimulate the maintenance of bonds social. All this sponsored by the cultural components and the attribution of roles, within a society that endowed the individual with a broader sense of belonging.

So that, social desirability is the result of the confluence of cultural, social, psychological and biological dimensions; that stimulate the need to be accepted by the reference groups. This reality serves as a foundation to give meaning to other phenomena that are observed in social dynamics, from conformism to prosocial behavior.

In the field of Psychology, social desirability has also been understood as a confounding variable in the performance of psychometric test (questionnaires, for example), consisting of shaping the answers offered by the evaluand in order to adopt a position consistent with the prevailing norms or values. This particular bias would therefore be one of the consequences of the desire for acceptance.

In what areas does it manifest itself?

Social desirability has a profound impact on many areas of life.. In this section we will only describe some of them, although it can be extended to many others.

1. Couple relationships

The first stages of a relationship have the purpose of showing the other person all those characteristics own that, based on the narrow margins of social expectations, we consider to be more attractive interpersonal. So, there is a tendency to highlight everything positive (such as life achievements and most desirable personality traits), ignoring what might generate resistance in courtship exchanges.

As the relationship progresses and the bond becomes stronger, a commitment to continuity tends to take hold, diluting the fear of rejection. It is at this moment when social desirability weakens, showing the most questionable aspects of what one believes to be. It may be the phase in which there is a greater emotional connection, supported by a more authentic communication.

2. prosocial behavior

Prosocial behavior is understood as any deliberate activity that pursues, as a direct consequence, the production of some good for groups or individuals in a situation of vulnerability. As a result of these acts, a consideration is received, and may be of an economic nature (salary compensation) or social (prestige, consideration or relief of difficult emotions such as guilt or boredom).

This concept differs from altruism due to the fact that, in the latter case, they are not associated benefits of any kind for the person who develops the helping behavior (neither pecuniary nor otherwise) nature). The impact of social desirability is of such magnitude that many authors suggest that altruism as such would not be possible, since all disinterested behavior would hide the incentive to seek a desirable personal image and accepted by the around.

3. Rejection from social groups

Virtually all societies have ostracized other groups of people as unworthy, encouraging this discriminatory judgment on cultural and/or religious rigors. A descriptive example of the phenomenon would be the untouchables of India, a group subjected to rejection explicit of their community based on the attribution of particular characteristics that oppose what desirable.

4. conformism

There is ample evidence that people may be tempted to answer a question by considering the degree of consensus beforehand. that their own reference group has about the possible responses to it, especially when the environment is ambiguous and there is physical proximity. In this way, the probability of acting wrongly would increase, solely due to the fact that it is the most common.

The phenomenon has been studied through research situations designed for this purpose, the following being a classic example:

A group of people is placed at the same table, all of whom (except one) collaborate with the experimenter. They are shown a straight line of medium length, and then they are asked to choose between three possible options (lines of different lengths) which would be most similar to the one originally shown. The evaluated subject would answer at the end, when the rest had indicated by consensus one of the wrong options. In a large percentage, this would end up opting for the same line and making mistakes.

5. Psychometric biases

Social desirability influences the responses a person makes when questioned in the course of a formal psychological evaluation. There are multiple studies that explore this phenomenon and relate it to biases associated with the human factor, and for which specific strategies are created aimed at its adequate control.

Social desirability does not equate to lying

Despite the fact that the phenomenon may seem like a perfect alibi for the production of dishonest acts or even lies, this is not the case at all.

Social desirability serves as the axis to better understand the mechanisms of persuasion and relationship dynamics that take place in the social fact, by exerting its influence on very different areas of life. Therefore, it exemplifies the way in which group pressure can condition the way in which we express ourselves to others.

Bibliographic references:

• Domínguez, A.C., Aguilera, S., Acosta, T.T., Navarro, G. and Ruiz, Z. (2012). Social Desirability Reassessed: more than a Distortion, a Need for Social Approval. Psychological Research Act, 2(3), 808-824.

• Salgado, f. (2005). Personality and Social Desirability in Organizational Contexts: Implications for the Practice of Work Psychology and Organizations. Papers of the Psychologist, 26, 115-128.