The Relationship between Intelligence, Honesty, and Theft Admissions

Paper-and-pencil integrity tests are used by thousands of companies to assess job applicants' propensity for on-the-job theft. One question that has been continually raised is whether there is a relationship between intelligence and integrity test scores. The present research is a summary of two independent studies of the London House Personnel Selection Inventory (PSI), an instrument designed to identify theft-prone applicants. Across both studies, the results indicated that no significant relationships existed between integrity test scores and either (a) education level of applicants, an unobtrusive measure of intelligence; or (b) scores on Scale B of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16-PF), a valid, albeit brief measure of intellect. While these results should be regarded as preliminary, the general direction of the relationship can be noted.