Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale
Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (CMSD) · Also known as: CMSD, Crowne-Marlowe Scale, Social Desirability Scale
The Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (CMSD) is a 33-item self-report measure designed to assess the tendency to present oneself favorably in social contexts, independent of psychopathology. Developed by Douglas Crowne and David Marlowe in 1960, the CMSD measures impression management and social desirability bias—tendencies that confound responses to personality, health, and behavioral questionnaires. The scale has become the standard reference instrument for detecting and controlling social desirability effects in psychological research.
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When to use it
The CMSD is used as a measurement tool to detect and control for social desirability bias in research studies using self-report questionnaires. It is valuable when administering sensitive measures (mental health, substance use, sexual behavior, dishonesty) to understand whether elevated bias is inflating or deflating responses. It is less suitable as a screening tool for personality pathology; research shows social desirability is independent of psychopathology, validating use as a nuisance variable rather than an outcome.
Strengths & limitations
- Gold standard measure of social desirability bias with 60+ years of research support
- Demonstrates strong independence from personality disorders and psychopathology, enabling use as control variable
- Available in multiple language translations and has been validated across cultures
- Brief format and simple true-false scoring facilitate administration and analysis
- Enables researchers to detect and statistically control for impression management effects on other measures
- Moderate internal consistency in some samples (Cronbach's alpha = 0.73–0.78 in some studies, though usually higher)
- Self-report nature introduces irony: measuring social desirability itself may trigger desirable responding
- Does not distinguish between unconscious self-deception and conscious impression management
Frequently asked
Is high social desirability the same as lying?
Not necessarily. High social desirability reflects a tendency to present oneself favorably, which can involve unconscious self-deception (genuinely believing one is more virtuous) or conscious impression management (knowingly adjusting responses). Most often, it reflects a mixture of both. It is distinct from deliberate deception or malingering, though it can contribute to response distortion.
Should I exclude high-social-desirability respondents from my study?
No. Exclusion reduces sample size and introduces selection bias. Instead, use CMSD scores as a covariate in statistical analyses, or examine whether results hold after partialing out social desirability. If social desirability moderates key findings, report interaction effects. This approach preserves data while accounting for response bias.
What is the difference between the 33-item and 13-item versions?
The 33-item full scale is more comprehensive and has stronger internal consistency. The 13-item version is briefer and suitable for time-constrained settings with acceptable psychometric properties. Both measure the same construct. Use the full version for detailed assessment; use the brief version for screening or when administration burden must be minimized.
Is social desirability bias the same across cultures?
No. Cross-cultural research shows that social desirability motivation and style vary across cultural contexts. Some cultures emphasize impression management more than others. Norms for CMSD scores differ across countries. When possible, use culture-appropriate norms and interpret high scores in cultural context.
Can I use CMSD with adolescents or children?
The standard CMSD is validated for adults. Some research has adapted it for adolescents with modified language. Children under age 10 may not have the metacognitive sophistication to complete the measure reliably. Always check reading level and age-appropriateness before administering.
Sources
- Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24(4), 349–354. DOI: 10.1037/h0047358 ↗
- Reynolds, W. M. (1982). Development of reliable and valid short forms of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38(1), 119–125. DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(198201)38:1<119::aid-jclp2270380118>3.0.co;2-i ↗
- Paulhus, D. L. (1991). Measurement and control of response bias. In J. P. Robinson, P. R. Shaver, & L. S. Wrightsman (Eds.), Measures of personality and social psychological attitudes (pp. 17–59). Academic Press. ISBN: 978-0-12-590241-0
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (CMSD). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/social-psychology/crowne-marlowe-scale
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