On the necessities and luxuries of personality dimensions: Strategic self-presentation could depend on what is desirable in a situation

Self-reported personality inventories are known to be sensitive to Socially Desirable Responding: individuals may try to convey a good image of themselves through their answers. In each situation, they may seek to distinguish personality dimensions highly important to claim to possess (i.e., necessities) from optional ones (i.e., luxuries). This research aims to investigate this necessity/luxury distinction in what is socially desirable in specific situations. Three studies were conducted in which participants answered a personality inventory using a budgeting task ( Li et al., 2002 ) aiming at being appreciated by others. A pilot study ( N = 66) showed this task's relevance in disentangling necessities–luxuries in self-presentation. Study 1 ( N = 126) showed that 1) Conscientiousness was perceived as necessary in a duty situation (i.e., work relationship with a superior) compared to a sociality situation (i.e., informal relationships with friends), 2) Extraversion–Agreeableness were perceived as necessities in a sociality compared to a duty situation. Study 2 replicated these findings using a different material with a larger sample ( N = 465). Overall, findings indicate that self-presentation strategies could be highly determined by situational perceptions, helping to identify the most effective strategies and the dimensions most likely to be faked in given contexts. • There are necessary versus luxurious personality dimensions for self-presentation. • The status of necessity or luxury of these dimensions depends on the situation. • Conscientiousness is perceived as necessary to be liked in work-related situations. • Extraversion and Agreeableness are necessary in more social and casual situations. • Self-presentation strategies can be highly determined by situational perceptions.