Which of the following is a common source of error associated with self-report inventories when diagnosing psychological disorders?

• A. Observer bias, where the clinician's expectations influence the results
• B. Sampling error due to small sample sizes in experimental studies
• C. Social desirability bias, where individuals respond in ways they think are more acceptable or favorable
• D. Placebo effect, where improvement is due to expectations rather than the inventory itself

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that self-report inventories rely on individuals providing information about themselves, often through questionnaires or interviews.
2. Recognize that a common source of error in self-report inventories is related to how individuals choose to present themselves, which can affect the accuracy of their responses.
3. Identify 'social desirability bias' as the tendency for individuals to respond in ways they believe are more socially acceptable or favorable, rather than being completely truthful.
4. Distinguish social desirability bias from other errors such as observer bias (which involves the clinician's influence), sampling error (related to study design), and placebo effect (related to treatment outcomes).
5. Conclude that social desirability bias is a frequent and important source of error in self-report inventories when diagnosing psychological disorders because it can distort the data collected from the individual.