The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between personality traits, social desirability and subjective well-being. A total of 392 students (195 females and 197 males), aged 19 to 26 years (M = 20.25, SD = 1.46) completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale, PANAS, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale and measures of the Big Five personality dimensions (IPIP50). Hierarchical regression analyses were performed with personality traits and social desirability as predictors and subjective well-being components (satisfaction with life, positive and negative affects) as dependent variables. The results confirmed previous findings that personality, specifically Extraversion, Emotional Stability and Conscientiousness, represent strong predictors of subjective well-being. Unlike in other studies, Intellect significantly predicted positive affect and Agreeableness showed additional significant prediction of absence of negative affect. When entered independently into the analysis, social desirability was a significant predictor of all three subjective well-being components. In combination with personality traits, social desirability showed association only with absence of negative affect which can be explained by the links between social desirability and personality traits. These findings indicate that relationship between social desirability, personality traits and subjective well-being is more complex than previous studies suggest. Social Desirability appears to be a variable that together with personality traits provides additional explanation of subjective well-being.

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