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Abstract

Ethical choices were assessed for offenders instructed to produce favorable versus unfavorable impressions. Pronounced impression management effects were obtained for prosocial and antisocial responses, and high scores on a dimension of change defined by these variables were related to sociopathic features on the MMPI. Highly consistent trends did not emerge for avoidance responses, although a secondary dimension of change was identified which contrasted avoidance with antisocial alternatives and was associated with increasing age, numerous prior incarcerations, and a defensive-repressive MMPI pattern. The findings were discussed in terms of their relevance for understanding the impression management manipulations likely to be encountered during the evaluation of different types of offenders.

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Impression Management in the Ethical Self-Presentation of Offenders Undergoing Presentence Evaluation

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