PSYC 3380 - Psychological Testing Week 9a Study Notes

PSYC 3380 - Psychological Testing Notes

Week 9a - Chapters 11 & 12

Agenda
  • Objective Personality Tests
  • Final Project
  • Measure Workshop
Personality
Definition of Personality
  • Personality: An individual’s unique constellation of psychological traits that is relatively stable over time.
  • Personality Trait: Defined as “Any distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies from another.”
  • Personality Assessment: The measurement and evaluation of psychological traits, states, values, interests, attitudes, worldview, acculturation, sense of humor, cognitive and behavioral styles, and/or related individual characteristics.
Personality Types
Cardiovascular Personality Theories
  • Friedman and Ray Rosenman's Two-Category Personality Typology:
    • Type A Personality:
    • Characteristics: Competitiveness, haste, restlessness, impatience, feelings of being time-pressured, strong needs for achievement, and dominance.
    • Type B Personality:
    • Characteristics: Mellow or laid-back demeanor.
Personality Profile
Concept of Personality Profile
  • Results from numerous personality tests (e.g., Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)) are frequently conveyed as patterns of scores. These patterns are referred to as a profile:
    • Personality Profile: A narrative description of how much a person has displayed particular personality traits, states, or types.
    • Personality State: Transitory exhibition of a personality trait, indicating a temporary predisposition (e.g., situation-specific).
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Dimensions of MBTI
  • Energy Focus:
    • Introversion (I): Recharges when alone or with close others.
    • Extroversion (E): Recharges from social interaction.
  • Information Processing:
    • Sensing (S): Knowledge through senses (e.g., sight, hearing).
    • Intuition (N): Inferring what lies beneath sensory inputs.
  • Decision Making:
    • Feeling (F): Emphasizes emotional aspects of experiences.
    • Thinking (T): Focuses on reasoning and abstract thinking.
  • Lifestyle Approach:
    • Judging (J): Prefers planning, being logical, and organized.
    • Perceiving (P): Reacts to environments, goes with the flow.
Myers-Briggs Profiles
Different Personality Profiles
  • INTJ: Innovative, independent, strategic, logical, reserved, insightful. Driven by original ideas for improvements.
  • INTP: Intellectual, logical, precise, reserved, flexible, imaginative. Original thinkers who enjoy speculation and creative problem-solving.
  • ENTJ: Strategic, logical, efficient, outgoing, ambitious, independent. Effective organizers and long-range planners.
  • ENTP: Inventive, enthusiastic, strategic, enterprising, inquisitive, versatile. Enjoy new ideas and challenges.
  • INFJ: Idealistic, organized, insightful, dependable, compassionate, gentle. Seek harmony and cooperation, value intellectual stimulation.
  • INFP: Sensitive, creative, idealistic, perceptive, caring, loyal. Value inner harmony and personal growth.
  • ENFJ: Caring, enthusiastic, idealistic, organized, diplomatic, responsible. Skilled communicators valuing connection with others.
  • ENFP: Enthusiastic, creative, spontaneous, optimistic, supportive, playful. Value inspiration and enjoy starting new projects.
  • ISTJ: Responsible, sincere, analytical, reserved, realistic, systematic. Hardworking and trustworthy with sound practical judgment.
  • ISFJ: Warm, considerate, gentle, responsible, pragmatic, thorough. Devoted caretakers who enjoy being helpful to others.
  • ESTJ: Efficient, outgoing, analytical, systematic, dependable, realistic. Like to run shows and get tasks done orderly.
  • ESFJ: Friendly, outgoing, reliable, conscientious, organized, practical. Seek to help and please others while being active and productive.
  • ISTP: Action-oriented, logical, analytical, spontaneous, reserved, independent. Enjoy adventures and grasp understanding.
  • ISFP: Gentle, sensitive, nurturing, helpful, flexible, realistic. Want to create a personal environment that is beautiful yet practical.
  • ESTP: Outgoing, realistic, action-oriented, curious, versatile, spontaneous. Pragmatic problem solvers and skillful negotiators.
  • ESFP: Playful, enthusiastic, friendly, spontaneous, tactful, flexible. Have strong common sense and enjoy helping tangibly.
Why Assess Personality?
Applications of Personality Assessment
  • Identifying determinants of health knowledge.
  • Categorizing types of commitment in intimate relationships.
  • Assessing peer responses regarding a team’s weakest link.
  • Identifying individuals prone to terrorism for national defense.
  • Tracking trait development over time.
  • Studying uniquely human characteristics, such as moral judgment.
Objective Personality Tests
Strategies of Structured Personality Test Construction
  • Major categories include:
    • Deductive:
    • Logical-content strategy: Tests developed using reason; assumes items accurately describe personality.
    • Theoretical strategy: Begins with a theory about personality characteristics for measurement; must be consistent with this theory.
    • Empirical:
    • Criterion-group strategy: Based on data collection and statistical analysis; distinguishes criterion group from control group for scale development.
    • Factor analytic strategy: Identifies basic personality factors by seeking intercorrelations among numerous items.
Measures Workshop
Final Project Details
  • Components include:
    • Copy of your measure.
    • SPSS database containing data.
  • Discussion focusing on developing measures vs. testing research questions regarding the relationship between constructs.
  • Guidelines for workshop:
    • Clearly define the target population for your measure.
    • Develop initial questions (minimum of 10) that include question stems and answer choices.
Next Class
  • Continue Chapters 11 & 12