The Social Desirability Atlas

Leonardo Bursztyn (), Ingar Haaland (), Nicolas Röver () and Christopher Roth ()
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Leonardo Bursztyn: University of Chicago & NBER
Ingar Haaland: NHH Norwegian School of Economics, FAIR, & CEPR
Nicolas Röver: University of Cologne
Christopher Roth: University of Cologne, NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, & CEPR

No 365, ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series from University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany

Abstract: Social desirability bias (SDB) is a pervasive threat to the validity of survey and experimental data. Respondents might often misreport sensitive attitudes and behaviors to appear more socially acceptable. We begin by synthesizing empirical evidence on the prevalence and magnitude of SDB across various domains, focusing on studies with individual-level benchmarks. We then critically assess commonly used strategies to mitigate SDB, highlighting how they can sometimes fail by creating confusion or inadvertently increasing perceived sensitivity. To help researchers navigate these challenges, we offer practical guidance on selecting the most suitable tools for different research contexts. Finally, we examine how SDB can distort treatment effects in experiments and discuss mitigation strategies.

Keywords: Social Desirability; Surveys; Experiments; Mitigation Strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B41 C83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 42 pages
Date: 2025-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp
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https://www.econtribute.de/RePEc/ajk/ajkdps/ECONtribute_365_2025.pdf First version, 2025 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ajk:ajkdps:365

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