The Less Subtle, the Better: Examining the Validity of Subtle Infrequency Items As Measures of Careless Responding

Because infrequency items are written to have an obvious correct answer, participants may be able to identify them even when engaging in careless responding. The purpose of this study was to determine if item subtlety related positively to item validity, making infrequency items more difficult to circumvent by careless responders.