The effect of test taking on acceptance of bogus personality statements.

Ss received either positively or negatively toned feedback after taking a projective test. Other Ss merely received the feedback statements without taking the test. All Ss rated the feedback statements individually and as a unit as to how well they described their personality and the personality of people in general. Feedback as a unit was more acceptable when (a) the test was taken, and (b) when positively toned feedback was received. Collapsing across feedback conditions, personal acceptability was higher for those who took the test than for those who did not take the test. The method allowed for analysis of individual items and thereby provided an additional measure of acceptability than simply using the overall acceptability score.