Acquiescence and the vanishing variance component

Abstract

An experimental (reversal) group took both the MMPI and a reversed form of the MMPI. A control (reliability) group took the MMPI twice. All tests were scored on 67 scales, with keying reversed for the reversed MMPI. Only trivial proportions of the response variance were found to be attributable to acquiescence for any of the uniformly keyed scales employed. Included were the scales most often suggested as measures of acquiescence: A, R, B, Bn, Rb, Acq, At, Dy-3, Deviant True, Deviant False, and Total True. Conclusion: acquiescence is an unimportant determinant of MMPI responses, including responses to items on "acquiescence" scales. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)