Chp 2 - Personality Assessment, Measurement and Research

Question 1

Reliability

Answer 1

the consistency of scores that are expected to be the same

Question 2

Internal consistency reliability

Answer 2

Degree of consistency measured by seeing whether subparts or equivalent parts of a test yield the same results (e.g. split-half)

Question 3

Repeated Measurements

Answer 3

• Test-retest, consistent across time

Question 4

Temporal stability

Answer 4

when you retest, it is the same over time, consistent

Question 5

Construct Validity

Answer 5

Measures what it claims to measure

Question 6

What 3 validity (in slide) are included in construct validity?

Answer 6

• Predictive validity
• Convergent validity
• Discriminant validity

Question 7

Predictive (Criterion) Validity

Answer 7

Do the test results predict behaviours related to the construct?

Eg. Measure conscientiousness:
Related to honesty, does your measure of conscientiousness predict how truthful someone is?

Question 8

Convergent validity

Answer 8

Does the test include testing for related behaviours

e.g. if theory suggest extraversion included being talkative, does test of extraversion include being talkative?
Try to capture a range of behaviours

Question 9

Discriminant Validity

Answer 9

The test does NOT measure unrelated characteristics

e.g someone high in introversion shouldn’t necessarily score high in unrelated characteristics, such as fearfulness

Question 10

Face validity

Answer 10

does the test make sense?

Question 11

What are the three major sources of bias in personality assessment

Answer 11

gender, ethnic, response sets

Question 12

Gender Bias

Answer 12

Expectations based on sex can influence test construction and interpretation

e.g. certain traits may seem more feminine…

Question 13

Response Set

Answer 13

Tendency to respond based on factors other than what is being measured

Question 14

3 types of common response sets

Answer 14

• acquiescence
• extreme responding
• social desirability

Question 15

Response set (acquiescence)

Answer 15

tendency to agree with statements
(Use reverse score to combat)

Question 16

Response set (extreme responding)

Answer 16

tendency to give end-point or extreme answer

Question 17

Response set (social desirability)

Answer 17

desire to please the researcher or to show oneself in a positive light
(counter with lie scale)

Question 18

Self Report Data

Answer 18

• Unstructured: open-ended questions, e.g. 20 statements test (I am____)
• Structured: possible and provided, item checklist/ TF/ Likert e.g MBTI

Question 19

Pros and Cons of Self Report

Answer 19

Pros:
- easy to administer
- common
- objective scoring
- large samples possible

Cons
- Honesty, bias and reliability
- accuracy

Question 20

Q-Sort Test

Answer 20

• Cards of list of words or phrases
• Sort characteristics into piles or groups
• Sorting rule can change e.g. self, other, ideal self

Question 21

Ratings, judgments by others

Answer 21

• report on someone else’s behav
• self report tool
• observation by someone who knows the indiv
• inter-rater reliability
• objectively rate behave

Question 22

inter-rater reliability

Answer 22

degree of agreement among independent observers who rate, code, or assess the same phenomenon.

Question 23

behavioural observations

Answer 23

• Typically setting in which behaviour normally occurs
• Specific a priori coding schemes
• usually time sampling (behv recorded for specific time at specific intervals)
• but subject to the Hawthorne Effect

Question 24

Hawthorne Effect

Answer 24

If an individual is aware that they are being observed/ measured, they may behave differently as usual

Question 25

Biological Measures

Answer 25

• Behave corresponds to brain activity (e.g. fMRi)
• influence of behaviour genetics
• measures of autonomic nervous systems activity

Question 26

Interviews

Answer 26

Unstructured:
- open-ended, tell me about…
- keep focus, follow up, follow themes
Structured
- specific questions
- standardised (question, tone, pace)

emphasis on:
- what said
- how it said
- expressive behv

Question 27

document and biographical studies

Answer 27

info about the person’s life (e.g. diaries, photos)

Question 28

Name 2 projective tests

Answer 28

1) Rorschach
2) Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Question 29

Rorschach (Ink blot) Test

Answer 29

Uncertain validity, but useful for insights

Question 30

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Answer 30

Look at picture and interpret the situation

Question 31

Online internet analysis of social media and big data

Answer 31

e.g. counting FB likes, analyzing tweets, search history

Question 32

Most appropriate assessment is determined by the _______ _______.

Answer 32

research question

Question 33

Name 3 Research Design

Answer 33

• Case studies
• Correlational Studies
• Experiments

Question 34

Case Studies

Answer 34

Detailed observation of one or the few individuals

Question 35

Pros and Cons of case studies

Answer 35

Pros:
1) Special individuals/ groups can be studied particularly, eg. Genie
Data that we cannot create any other way
2) Collect a range of detailed data
3) Clinical applications

Cons:
1)Hard to generalise to other people due to case studies being too special
2) Time consuming/costly
3) Causation to the individual studied

Question 36

Correlational studies

Answer 36

Examines the extent to which 2 or more variables are related

Question 37

Pros and Cons of correlational studies

Answer 37

Pros:
1) Prediction can be easier, extrapolation
2) Direction and strength of the relationship
3) Multiple measures
4) Aspects that cannot be studied in the lab

Cons:
- Correlation doesn’t equal causation

Question 38

Experiments

Answer 38

Research method used to identify and test effect(s) of the independent vars

independent var:
- factor of interest
- manipulated

dependent var:
- measured