Induced response bias on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

Responses on both state and trait scales of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were examined as a function of experimenter-provided instructions. Instructions which presented a simulated real-life situation containing competitive and evaluative cues without directly suggesting, faking preceded the completion of an interpolated task, which was followed by re-administration of the instrument under standard instructions. The hypothesis that Ss would respond consistently on the A-trait scale, while demonstrating increased levels of A-state was confirmed. Results were interpreted as consistent with the distinction between anxiety as a state as well as a trait, but conflicted with traditional notions of social desirability response bias, which imply that "faking good" should lead to consistent changes on both scales.