Justin A. DeSimone - Publications

Research on Careless Responding: Publications and References

Stop With the Questions Already! Does Data Quality Suffer for Scales Positioned Near the End of a Lengthy Questionnaire?

Journal of Business and Psychology

This study investigates how the length of a survey scale influences the likelihood and impact of careless responding. Longer scales increase the risk of fatigue and careless answering, which in turn affect reliability and validity. The article offers guidance on balancing measurement precision with practical survey design.

Insufficient Effort Responding to Psychological Assessments: Practical Advice for Combatting a Serious Threat to Data Quality

SIOP White Paper Series

This white paper synthesizes a decade of research on careless responding, summarizing key findings and offering practical recommendations. It highlights detection methods, substantive predictors, and the organizational consequences of ignoring low-quality data. The report serves as a resource for scholars and practitioners committed to data quality in organizational research.

Dirty Data: The Effects of Screening Respondents Who Provide Low-Quality Data in Survey Research

Journal of Business and Psychology

This paper examines the prevalence and consequences of careless responding in organizational surveys. Results indicate that even modest amounts of low-effort data bias relationships among key constructs and lead to misleading conclusions. The study emphasizes the need for routine screening and methodological vigilance in applied research.

Best Practice Recommendations for Data Screening

Journal of Organizational Behavior

This article outlines practical strategies for detecting and addressing careless responding in organizational research datasets. It shows how different data-cleaning techniques can substantially alter results, underscoring the importance of proactive screening. The work provides actionable recommendations for maintaining validity and credibility in analyses.

The Differential Impacts of Two Forms of Insufficient Effort Responding

Applied Psychology: An International Review

This simulation explores how different levels of careless responding influence statistical power and parameter estimates. The results show that even small proportions of insufficient effort responding distort findings, particularly in smaller samples. The study illustrates the risks associated with ignoring data quality issues.

Insufficient Effort Responding as a Partial Function of Implicit Aggression

Organizational Research Methods

This article investigates the role of implicit aggression as a predictor of careless responding. Findings suggest that individuals higher in aggression are more likely to respond carelessly, offering a substantive explanation for why IER occurs. The study bridges methodological concerns and personality, demonstrating that carelessness is not just random noise.

Insufficient Effort Responding as a Potential Confound between Survey Measures and Objective Tests

Journal of Business and Psychology

This research examines the effects of careless responding on test performance and score validity. Results show that careless answers can inflate or mask relationships between variables, threatening the integrity of assessment results. The article underscores the importance of monitoring effort in testing situations where high-stakes decisions are made.

Response Speed and Response Consistency as Mutually Validating Indicators of Data Quality in Online Samples

Social Psychological and Personality Science

This study evaluates the effectiveness of response speed and consistency checks as indicators of careless responding. Findings demonstrate that combining these approaches identifies problematic data more effectively than using a single method. The article highlights simple, scalable tools for safeguarding data quality.

References

Bowling, N. A., Gibson, A. M., & DeSimone, J. A. (2022). Stop with the questions already! Does data quality suffer for scales positioned near the end of a lengthy questionnaire? Journal of Business and Psychology, 37, 1099-1116.
Bowling, N. A., Huang, J. L., & DeSimone, J. A. (2025). Insufficient effort responding to psychological assessments: Practical advice for combating a serious threat to data quality [White paper]. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Link
DeSimone, J. A., Davison, H. K., Schoen, J. L., & Bing, M. N. (2020). Insufficient effort responding as a meaningful construct and a partial function of latent aggression. Organizational Research Methods, 23, 154-180.
DeSimone, J. A., DeSimone, A. J., Harms, P. D., & Wood, D. (2018). The differential impacts of two forms of insufficient effort responding. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 67, 309-338.
DeSimone, J. A., & Harms, P. D. (2018). Dirty data: The effects of screening respondents who provide low-quality data in survey research. Journal of Business and Psychology, 33, 559-577.
DeSimone, J. A., Harms, P. D., & DeSimone, A. J. (2015). Best practice recommendations for data screening. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36, 171-181.
Huang, J. L., & DeSimone, J. A. (2021). Insufficient effort responding as a potential confound between survey measures and objective tests. Journal of Business and Psychology, 36, 807-828.
Wood, D., Harms, P. D., Lowman, G. H., & DeSimone, J. A. (2017). Response speed and response consistency as mutually validating data screens in online samples. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 8, 454-464.