1. Personality Assessment Personality Definition: an individual’s unique constellation of psychological states and traits Traits: Guilford (1959), “An distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies from another.” States: transitory exhibition of some personality trait Types:constellation of traits & states that is similar in pattern to one identified category of personality taxonomy, e.g., Type A, personality profiles

2. Basic Characteristics of Personality Assessment Methods Personality v. IQ & Achievement tests –Typical v. maximum performance tests –Stability of constructs of interest Degree of inference in assessment methods –Behavioral v. “traditional” v. projective Interpretation approaches –Clinical v. actuarial

3. Methods of Developing Assessment Methods Logic/Reason –Face validity, content-oriented approach E.g., DSM questionnaires Theory –Questions reflect theory about personality & human behavior E.g., Self-Directed Search, EPPS

4. Methods of Developing Assessment Methods (cont.) Data Reduction methods –Factor analysis to place items to scales E.g., Cattell & 16PF, Children’s Personality Questionnaire, NEO PI-R (Big 5, Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness) Empirical Criterion Keying –Can items/scales distinguish among groups? E.g., MMPI

5. MMPI Overview Psychiatric patients v. visitors 567 true-false items 10 clinical scales that could differentiate the groups “validity” scales Several “research”/content scales developed over the years

6. MMPA-2 Items rewritten –Eliminated “objectionable” wording Added items –Drug abuse, Type A, attitudes toward work 3 new validity scales New content scales, clinical scales the same Larger & more representative normative sample

7. Projective Assessment Psychodynamic origination Projective hypothesis –When confronted with ambiguous stimuli subjects will create structure which reveals information about their personalities, needs, drives, etc.

8. Projectives (cont.) Defining characteristics –Lack of stimulus structure –Multiplicity of responses permitted –Absence of right or wrong answers Assumptions –Because they are ambiguous, they elicit more meaningful information; –They are less susceptible to faking –Reveal more unconscious aspects of personality

9. Examples of projectives Rorschach –10 ink blots –Exner comprehensive scoring system Free association and inquiry phases What are characteristics of response? –E.g., location, popular responses, perseveration

10. Storytelling/Apperception tests Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) –Murray’s Needs-Press theory –What’s happening in the picture? What events led up to the scene? What will happen next? What are the people’s thoughts, feelings, etc. –Hero, Needs, press, outcomes, themes Children’s Apperception Test, Robert’s Apperception Test Modifications for individuals of differing ethnic backgrouns

11. Projective drawings Overall appraisal + “sign” approach Draw a Person House-Tree-Person Kinetic Family Drawing

12. Evaluation of Projectives Are they tests? –Can they be held to psychometric standards? Assumptions have not really held up. Can be influenced by situational variables. Stimuli not as ambiguous as assumed. Psychometrics not been demonstrated despite years of study.