The aim of the study was to test the efficiency of two types of warning (warning of potential identification of faking and warning of potential identification and negative consequences of faking) in increasing honesty of responding to personality questionnaires. Three groups of students completed a five-factor personality questionnaire and two social desirability scales in the situation of honest responding and a simulated selection. The groups differed only in the type of instruction given in the simulated selections: warning of potential identification of faking (N = 149), warning of potential identification and negative consequences of faking (N = 141), and without warning (N = 145). A change in the participants’ honesty was tested through (1) comparison of their responses on the social desirability scales between the situation of honest responding and the simulated selection and (2) analysis of the correlations on personality measures between the situation of honest responding and the simulated selection. Obtained results on both sets of data showed that warning increased the honesty of responses on personality measures. Moreover, the more intensive the warning, the more honest the personality self-reports.

personality questionnaire, faking, warning