Personality Tests What are they? How are they created? Why do we use them? Are they really accurate?

What is a personality test? Aspects of behavior can be assessed by observational methods and interviews. However, to try to find out what a person is really like and to avoid wild speculation, psychologists use psychological tests. A psychological test is a systematic measure of what people know; how they act, think and feel; or what their goals are. A psychological test can measure personality, intelligence, occupational needs, or job skills. These tests try to be as factual and unbiased as possible and provide a picture of personality or personal skills. All psychological tests have one characteristic that makes them both fascinating and remarkably practical – they try to make it possible to find out a great deal about a person in a short amount of time. Personality tests are more standardized and economical than either observations or interviews. But remember: personality tests are merely tools for measuring and predicting human behavior; they are not an end in themselves. Also remember: any psychological test must be reliable and valid.

Major Issues in Personality Testing: Standardization First, we must be sure that all subjects are being tested the same way. Standardization (the process of developing clear directions for taking, scoring, and interpreting test) refers to two things: –Tests must be administered and scored the same way –Establish the norm, or average score, for a large group of people. How do we establish these norms?

Major Issues in Personality Testing: Norms Norms are patterns of test answers from different types of people. Psychologists need to be sure that their test items cover all relevant areas of personality, and they need to give the test items to a large number of different people (old, young, male, female, Hispanic, Caucasian, etc.) By compiling these pre-test results, they can find out how most people in each group answer the questions. The answers will always vary depending on the group. Norms will show us the pattern of answers for different types of people. Because, in a personality test, we are focusing on what makes the subject an individual, we will focus on answers that do not fall in the norm. (You can think of “ norms ” as being related to control and experimental groups.)

Major Issues in Personality Testing: Establishing Validity Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure. Basically, does it do/test what it is supposed to do/test? How might we establish validity? Give the personality items to large numbers of students. Find out if those students that deviated from the norm also experienced behavior issues. If so, we may have established validity.

Major Issues in Personality Testing: Establishing Reliability Reliability refers to the measure of a test ’ s consistency. If you were to take a personality test today, then go home and find out that your dog passed away, would you score the same on the exact same test the next day? Why or why not? Often, there are minor changes in our personality from day to day. Answers to test questions should not be influenced by these temporary changes. Reliability means that the answers will be reasonable consistent, despite fluctuations in attitude or behavior. How might we test reliability in a personality inventory?

In summary: A personality test must be … *Standardized *Reliable *Valid

Types of Personality Tests

Objective Tests Personality Inventories

Objective Tests The typical objective test is a paper-and-pencil form containing clear, specific questions, statements, or concepts to which a person is asked to give yes-no, true-false, or multiple-choice answers. Scores can be compared mathematically. Objective tests are also known as personality inventories or self- report tests because they rely on the honesty of the participant who reports about his/her own beliefs, habits, hopes, desires, and needs. Objective tests are used by humanists and others, and they are used more commonly than projective tests.

Common Personality Inventories A lot of these (and other objective tests) were covered in the “ Trait Perspective ” ppt., so look back at that for more information. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) –This is the most widely used personality inventory. A number of other personality tests are just variations based on this particular test. –Frequently used for diagnosing disorders. California Psychological Inventory (CPI) –Similar to the MMPI-2, this is the inventory used most often in schools The Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Personality Inventory, Revised (NEO-PI-R) –Given to measure personality variables in normal populations. The Big 5 Personality Test –“ OCEAN ” traits The Myers-Briggs Test –Based on Jungian theory –Try it yourself here: win/JTypes2.asphttp:// win/JTypes2.asp

Problems with Personality Inventories? The meaning that subjects attach to the questions. –Ex: “ People talk about me. ” While test questions may indicate how people feel about life, they do not provide information about how people are handling life. Of course, the reliability and validity are questionable since people might not tell the truth or don ’ t understand the question. –For example, many teens don ’ t want to admit they are an introvert or might not understand the word cognitive. In general, personality inventories are useful for surface screening in order to identify those subjects who might need help. However, psychologists must always use caution and conduct face-to-face follow ups to avoid serious error.

Projective Tests Rorschach Ink Blots Thematic Apperception Test

Projective Tests One of the criticisms of personality inventories is that you can “fool” them by simply selecting items that reflect the way you wish to be or the way you see yourself (which might not be accurate). To avoid this problem, psychologists often use Projective Tests. Projective Tests: Tests measuring inner feelings elicited by a vague stimulus, such as an ink blot or an unclear picture These tests consist of unstructured stimuli that can be perceived and responded to in many ways. With these, the test taker projects his or her innermost self onto the stimulus provided. Responses to projective personality tests reflect many aspects of an individual's personality.

Who Uses Projective Tests? Projective tests are used only by psychoanalysts. Because projective tests simply ask a subject to interpret a picture, the results are very subjective. Why does this method work for a psychoanalyst? –Psychoanalysts study personality by accessing … you guessed it: the unconscious. Evaluating personality from an unconscious mind’s perspective would require a psychological instrument that would reveal the hidden unconscious mind. Projective tests supposedly do that. Responses to projective personality tests reflect many aspects of an individual's personality. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the Rorschach Inkblot Test are examples of this format.

Ink Blot Tests - “Rorschach” (roar-shock) The Rorschach tests were first developed by a Swiss psychiatrist, Hermann Rorschach, in His method for creating these “ ink blots ” was to splash ink onto the middle of pieces of paper and then fold them in half to get matching designs (similar to the art projects you might remember from kindergarten). After creating hundreds of these designs (in his basement), he settled on 10 which he had printed on cards. The test is designed to identify people ’ s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of what they see in the inkblots. Now the Rorschach ink blots are the most widely used projective test.

Pull out a sheet of paper… What do you see in these inkblots?

Rorschach Inkblot Test – #1

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Rorschach Inkblot Test – #8 (End)

How do the Rorschach Cards Work? The subjects looks at each card and describes to the tester what they see in each ink blot. –Those who see something moving in the blot have a lot of emotion and a good fantasy life. –Those who focus on color (if there is any on the card) are explosive people. –Those who focus on all the white space are negative people. What do you think?

However… What Rorschach based his conclusions on has never been clear, and the validity of the Rorschach is terrible (it doesn ’ t measure what it ’ s supposed to measure). So is its reliability (it ’ s inconsistent).

For example: During the period of the Nuremberg trial, Rorschach tests were administered to many of the major Nazi leaders accused of war crimes. –Upon analysis, it was determined that “ The Nazis were not psychologically normal or healthy individuals. ” Their interpretation of the Nazis ’ Rorschach response patterns were that they are full of depression, violence, concern for status, rejection of responsibility, death, grotesqueness, distorted qualities, and rejection of feeling. “ In general, these appear to be individuals who are undeveloped, manipulative, and hostile in their relationships with others. ” The final verdict was that they had psychopathic personalities. –However, when the procedure was repeated using other Rorschach experts who were unaware of the histories of the people behind the inkblots, they found no consistent personality differences between the responses of the Nazis and those of comparison subjects. –Therefore, the test is unreliable.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Developed by Henry Murray, the TAT is a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous (unclear) scenes. Test takers are shown vague pictures that could be interpreted in many ways, and are then asked to make up stories about what is happening in the pictures. The themes of their stories (hence “thematic” test) are interpreted by the psychologist. If a certain theme seems to be appearing in all of the stories a test taker tells (after viewing multiple pictures), the tester can get a rough idea of some of the core problems that might exist. As with the Rorschach, validity and reliability are low, but they are better with the TAT than with the Rorschach. What do you think is happening in each of these pictures?

Thematic Apperception Test – #1

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The Benefits of Projective Testing In general, projective tests attempt to get the subject to dig into their deeper self. Some projective tests may be useful, but not as much as you may think. They do, however, offer the psychologist a chance to talk to the test taker as well as give some idea of how the test taker approaches problems. Some psychologists claim that these types of tests help them understand the person better.

Criticisms of Projective Tests Critics argue that projective tests are relatively difficult to score and lack both reliability (consistency of results) and validity (predicting what it is supposed to). They tend to be less reliable and valid than objective tests. –When evaluating the same patient, even trained raters come up with different interpretations (reliability). –Projective tests may misdiagnose a normal individual as pathological (validity).

Aptitude Tests

Aptitude – One ’ s special skills Aptitude Tests – Tests that measure one ’ s special skills These tests are usually grouped together, in the sense that the person takes all of them at once to see in which categories he or she scores highest. For example:

Mechanical Comprehension If the gear on the left is turning clockwise, what direction will the gear on the right turn?

Verbal Skills Which word is spelled incorrectly? A. horse B. house C. humit D. hanger

Clerical Speed and Accuracy As quickly as you can, find the underlined test item and match it to the corresponding item on the answer sheet. Test ItemAnswer Sheet MS MQ MP MFA. MFB. MQ C. MPD. MX A7 B2 AB C3A. C3B. B3 C. B2D. A7

While no aptitude test is accurate enough to predict success in any given field, they can give clues to areas in which you might do well or that you should avoid. Aptitude tests are highly reliable and valid, but they measure only a small part of what would be involved in any given occupation.

Vocational Interest Tests

A test that attempts to predict what occupational area an individual will like One of the most important long-term goals any of us ever strives for is the one involving occupation. If things turn out well, most of us will stay in the same general field throughout life. Areas of interest change for many people until their junior or senior year of high school, at which point they tend to become focused. During this time, vocational interest tests begin and may continue to be administered throughout adulthood.

Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory This is the most widely used vocational interest test; based on answers of people successful in certain fields. Answers of new test takers are compared with the answers of individuals already in given occupations in order to determine the groups with which the new test taker has the most in common.

Things to Remember about Vocational Interest Tests… One of the biggest problems faced with these tests is a misunderstanding about how they work. –None of the occupations are to be taken at face value. Instead, the qualities needed to be successful in that career should be focused on. –For example, a vocational interest test may tell you that you are best suited to be a “ funeral director. ” However, what its really saying is that you are ideally suited to run a small business, deal with the public, help people who are in need, etc. Vocational Interest tests do not show that you have the aptitude or ability for any given occupation, even if you score high in interest for that career. When considering future goals, interest and ability must be considered together as they are dependent on each other. We can always adapt our goals within the fields we like.