Final answer:
The Likert scale is the one that is somewhat less effective at detecting underreporting because respondents may be inclined to provide socially desirable responses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scale that is useful as it is somewhat less effective in detecting underreporting is a) Likert scale. Likert scales are commonly used in surveys and personality inventories and can sometimes be subject to bias, especially if respondents are motivated to present themselves in a socially desirable way or skew their responses. Likert scales consist of a series of statements that respondents can agree with to varying degrees, usually on a scale from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree'. This range provides an interval-level measurement of attitudes or feelings. However, because answers are self-reported, they can suffer from respondents faking good or underreporting negative aspects about themselves. In comparison, the other options listed, namely the Richter scale, Beaufort scale, and Gini coefficient, are scales used in other fields. The Richter scale measures earthquake intensity, the Beaufort scale assesses wind force, and the Gini coefficient measures income inequality, none of which are relevant to the issue of detecting underreporting in survey responses.