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 METHODS ALL 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=planned 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 INVENTORY 567 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