Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byAugustine Daniel Modified over 7 years ago
1
Chapter 2: How is Personality Studied and Assessed? Psyc 305 Fall 2013
2
Every man is in certain aspects Like all other man Like some other man
Like no other man CLYDE KLUCKHOHN AND HENRY A. MURRAY
3
Assessment in Personality: Goals
Accurate characterization of individuals, important for diagnostic, education, counseling, and research purposes Applications: Hiring decisions Clinical assessment for diagnostic puposes in counseling or psychotherapy Goal setting for counseling and therapeutic purposes
4
Subjective Assessment
Measurement that relies on interpretation (unlike objective assessment) Weaknesses Different observers may make different judgments Strengths Complex phenomena may be examined and valuable insight gained
5
Assessment in Personality Study
Principles of measurement Reliability: consistency Validity: measure what is intended
6
Classic Representation of Reliability and Validity
7
Classic Representation of Reliability and Validity
Not Reliable Not Valid Reliable Valid
8
Reliability: Consistency of Measurement
over time (test-retest), among raters (inter-rater), and within its items (internal consistency)
9
Test-retest reliability: Consistency in measurement
Types of Reliability Internal consistency: consistency within a set of items intended to measure the same construct Split-half reliability The correlation between two halves of a test Cronbach’s coefficient alpha The average of all possible split-half correlations Inter-rater reliability: consistency in judgments across multiple raters Test-retest reliability: consistency or stability across time Quality of the Measure: Reliability Test-retest reliability: Consistency in measurement Interrater reliability: Agreement among different raters Internal consistency: if one part of the test is similar to another part of the test Statistics Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) – low for measures of stable concepts Confidence Interval (usually 95% CI)
10
Reliability: Consistency of Measurement
High reliability = greater consistency = lower randomness (error) Low reliability = less consistency = more error
11
Validity (1) Construct validity
The extent to which a test truly measures a theoretical construct Convergent validity A measure is related to what it should be related to Discriminant validity A measure is not related to what it should not be related to
12
Validity (2) Criterion-related validity
The measure can predict important outcome criteria Content validity The measure contains items that represent the entire domain of the theoretical construct
13
Item Selection Items should be clear and relatively simple
Items should discriminate among test takers Items should be intercorrelated But not so highly that they are redundant
14
Item Selection The total score of the assessment should have a normal distribution Avoid ceiling and floor effects Be sensitive to variability across the range of scores
15
Response Sets (1) A bias in responding to test items that is unrelated to the personality characteristic being measured Acquiescence response set “yes”, “agree,” “true of me” Social desirability response set The “good” or “correct” answer The answer that reflects well on the test-taker
16
Response Sets (2) To reduce the problem of response sets
Reverse-code some items Use neutral wording Include lie scales Use several different methods of assessment
17
Ethnic and Gender Bias Traditionally White male theorists, either of European or American heritage Generally ignored gender & ethnicity A characteristic that is a strength in one group may be perceived as a weakness or deficiency in another All tests make assumptions about the background of the test-taker Use care in interpreting results Always consider the context
18
Ethnic & Cultural Influences
Influence image of human nature Implications for self-efficacy, subjective well-being, parenting, self-enhancement, etc. Individualism Focus on personal freedom Collectivism Focus on group norms & values
19
EthnIC BIAS Cultural prejudices (for criminals, loud talkers, lazy, etc.) Varying characteristics could be perceived as a strength in one and a deficit in another culture . Examples; ASSERTIVE BEHAVIORS (higher for …) ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION (higher for ….) MOTIVATION FOR SELF-ENHANCEMENT (higher for ….) UTILITY OF POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF SELF (higher for ….) FEELING POSITIVE (more of a virtue for …..) FEELING OPTIMISTIC (higher for …)
20
GENDER BIAS Which of the following is descriptive of mental health? AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES GREATER EMOTIONAL INTENSITY GREATER REPORTS OF UNHAPPINESS MORE EXPRESSIVE OF EMOTIONS MORE ASSERTIVE ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTED RELATIONSHIP/FAMILY ORIENTED LOWER SOCIAL CONCERNS CARING COOPERATIVE
21
Cross-Cultural Assessment
Potential problems: Slang & colloquial expressions Familiarity with answer formats Discomfort with process Arab countries discussing sex, family violence
22
Types of Personality Measures: Self-Report Tests
Usually pencil and paper tests Most common type of test Examples: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Big-Five Inventory (BFI) Affective Communication Test (ACT)
23
MMPI The MMPI was developed in the late 1930’s and first published in Original authors were Starke Hathaway and J. C. McKinley 1100 original items and was cut down to 566 by the time it was first published, MMPI-2 released in 1989 Originally used to assess psychopathology Current purpose “to assess a number of the major patterns of personality and emotional disorders” Profile Analysis is the goal
24
MMPI-2 Content 567 true/false items Scales: 7 validity scales
10 clinical scales 15 supplementary scales 15 content scales 34 other subscales Because there are so many we will only talk about a few.
25
Five major validity scales
3 original Lie (L) – present self as a perfectionist Infrequency (F) – deviant social beliefs etc. Correction (K) – defensiveness/unwilling to report weakness 2 new (inconsistent or contradictory responses) Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) Clinical scales follow:
26
Description What is measured No. of items HYPOCHONDRİASİS
Concern with bodily symptoms 32 DEPRESSİON Depressive symptoms 57 HYSTERİA Awareness of problems and vulnerabilities 60 PSYCHOPATHİC DEVİATE Conflict, struggle, anger, respect for society's rules 50 MASCULİNİTY/FEMİNİNİTY Stereotypical masculine or feminine interests/behaviors 56 PARANOİA Level of trust, suspiciousness, sensitivity 40 PSYCHASTHENİA Worry, Anxiety, doubts, obsessiveness 48 SCHİZOPHRENİA Odd thinking and social alienation 78 HYPOMANİA Level of excitability 46 SOCİAL INTROVERSİON People orientation 69 CLINICAL SCALES
27
SAMPLE ITEMS Please answer each of the following,
1.I like mechanics magazines T F 2.I have a good appetite 3.I wake up fresh & rested most mornings 4.I think I would like the work of a librarian 5.I am easily awakened by noise 6.I like to read newspaper articles on crime 7.My hands and feet are usually warm enough 8.My daily life is full of things that keep me interested 9.I am about as able to work as I ever was 10.There seems to be a lump in my throat much of the time
28
Types of Personality Measures: Q-Sort Tests
Person makes comparisons among his/her own characteristics Uses a stack of cards, one characteristic per card Sorts cards into piles indicating how descriptive each card is of him/her Forced number of cards at each level Normalizes use of levels across test-takers
29
Types of Personality Measures: Judgments by Others
Someone else answers questions about the person being measured Some traits are easier to judge than others Can use ratings from parents, friends, teachers, spouse, psychologists, etc. Used for adults and children
30
Advantages and DIsadvantages of Self-Report Inventories
Objective scoring Low cost Disadvantages Reading level Social desirability
31
Types of Personality Measures: Biological Measures
Assumes that the nervous system is an important element of personality Modern biological measures Electroencephalogram (EEG) Can provide event-related potentials (ERPs) Positron emission tomography (PET) scan Magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) Functional magnetic resonance imagery (fMRI) Hormonal levels Chromosomal analysis
32
Types of Personality Measures: Behavioral Observations
Records the actual behavior of a person Types of behavioral observations Simple counts of a specific behavior Coding videotaped interactions Electronic pagers
33
Types of Personality Measures: Interviews
Asking questions Past & present life experiences Social & family relationships Unstructured interviews Typically yield rich information, but validity is questionable Structured interviews More valid, but usually do not reveal individual nuances
34
Types of Personality Measures: Expressive Behavior
The analysis of how people stand, move, speak, etc. Includes the examination of: speech rate voice quality gaze patterns posture gestures
35
Types of Personality Measures: Document Analysis/Life Stories
Involves the careful analysis of writings such as letters and diaries Can be a very rich source of information Examples: Allport’s “Letters from Jenny” Terman’s analysis of Galton’s letters
36
Types of Personality Measures: Projective Tests
Present an unstructured or ambiguous stimulus, task, or situation Test-taker provides an interpretation The goal is to gain access to unconscious motives and concerns Examples: Draw-a-person test Rorschach Inkblot Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
37
Projective Test Example 1: Draw-a-Person
Drawing by a nine-year-old in response to the prompt “Draw a person”
38
Advantages and Dısadvantages of Projective Tests
Unique clinical value by providing insights to clinicians and clients Disadvantages Scoring based on examiner’s interpretation/score Low reliability/validity
39
Types of Personality Measures: Demographics and Lifestyle
Uses information about a person’s age, place of birth, gender, family size, etc. Can help researchers understand people based on their everyday lives
40
The Ethics of Personality Testing
Test results always contain some error However, this should not prevent us from using personality tests Due to these errors, one must be careful when interpreting test results when choosing how to apply the results
41
Research Designs Common designs in personality research: Case Studies
Correlational Studies Experimental Studies Each has different benefits and drawbacks
42
1. Clinical Method: CASE STUDIES
Detailed history of individual Contains data from variety of sources (e.g. tests, interviews, dream analysis) Advantages Depth of information Disadvantages Subjective Less precision
43
Advantages Disadvantages Prediction in real world
2. Correlational Method Degree of relationship Correlation coefficient between two variables Ranges from to +1.00 Advantages Prediction in real world Disadvantages Correlation does not imply causation
44
3. Experimental Method Determine effects of variables or events on behavior Independent Variable Dependent Variable Variable manipulated Variable measured Experimental Group Control Group Exposed to treatment No treatment
45
2. Experimental Method, cont.
Disadvantages Advantages Well controlled Systematic Duplication & Verification Limited aspects possible in lab Awareness of observation
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.