MEASURING PERSONALITY
WHAT WILL I “TAKE AWAY” FROM THIS LESSON?
• Can we predict meaningful information from assessments of personality?• Are personality assessments valid? Reliable?• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each method?• The Behavioral psychologist- might this be the career for me?
MANY METHODSALL HAVE STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
•Observation•Interview•Objective Tests •Projective Tests
BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS
• Record certain “actions”• Rating scales• Situational testing-
simulations (test how someone would act in a given situation)
INTERVIEW
• Unstructured=led by responses-informal• Structured=planne
d series of questions• Computerized• Diagnostic=look for
symptoms/feelings
Pre-conceptions of interviewer (house-wife, college student, ski bum)People try to deceive
Halo effect =generalize a favorable /unfavorable impression to unrelated details of personality Limitations of Interview
OBJECTIVE TESTS= PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRES
• Paper & Pencil tests• Questions &
Scoring are standardized• Reliable• Valid
MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY567 TRUE OR FALSE ITEMS
• Everything tastes the same.• There is something wrong with my mind.• I enjoy animals.• Whenever possible, I avoid being in a crowd.• I have never done anything dangerous for the thrill of it. • I daydream often.• Someone has been trying to poison me.
PROJECTIVE TESTS
• Each stimulus has no “specific” significance so meaning applied is a “projection” of the subject’s interests/conflicts• Many tests
DRAW A PERSON
SENTENCE COMPLETION
• I am happiest when…..•My mother…..• If I could do anything I would…• I get angry when….•People don’t understand why I….
THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST (TAT)
• Henry Murray• Vague pictures• Subject tells
“story” about what they see• Before and after
prompts• Used to test
motivation
RORSCHACH (INKBLOT TEST)
• 10 Ink blots• Reflect inner
feelings & conflicts• Lowest validity
among personality tests• Culturally sensitive