Personality Assessment

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to personality assessment based on the provided lecture notes.

Personality Assessment

The process of detecting individual differences in personality.

Phrenology

An early personality assessment method based on the shape of the head.

Physiognomy

An early personality assessment method based on facial characteristics.

Sheldon’s body types

A classification system dividing people into ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph based on body composition.

Reliability

The consistency of measurement in a test.

Validity

The degree to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure.

Structured Personality Tests

Paper-and-pencil tests where responses are given in fixed ways, such as true/false or Likert scales.

Likert scale

A scale used in surveys where respondents specify their level of agreement from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree).

NEO-PI-R

A personality test known for strong reliability and validity.

Myers-Briggs

A personality test that lacks strong reliability and validity.

Projective Tests

Personality tests that require respondents to interpret ambiguous stimuli.

Projective Hypothesis

The theory that individuals project aspects of their personality when interpreting ambiguous stimuli.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective test consisting of ten inkblots used to assess personality traits based on interpretations of the images.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test requiring examinees to construct stories based on ambiguous pictures.

P.T. Barnum Effect

The tendency to accept vague and general descriptions as personally applicable.

Validity and Reliability Issues

Concerns regarding the accuracy and consistency of personality assessments.