Measuring Personality Flashcards
Self-Report Scales are typically…?
List 4 points
- Introspective
- Subjective
- Structured
- Contain more than one item per construct
What do self-report scales measure?
Measures one dimension of personality
Measures one dimension of personality
This is known as…?
Self-report scales
What are inventories and what do they measure?
Several scales that, together, measure multiple dimensions of personality
Several scales that, together, measure multiple dimensions of personality
This is known as…?
Inventories
What is the equation for the score on a scale?
True score = Random error + Systematic error
What 2 types of error are part of measurement error?
- Random error
- Systematic error
- Random error
- Systematic error
These are known as…?
Measurement error
What is random error?
Non-systematic variation in the test score
Non-systematic variation in the test score
This is known as…?
Random error
What is systematic error (bias)?
Test score always slightly higher or lower than true score
Test score always slightly higher or lower than true score
This is known as…?
Systematic error (bias)
Equally likely to score slightly higher vs. lower than true score
This is known as…?
Random error
In random error, we are equally likely to score slightly higher vs. lower than true score
How can we fix this?
Increase the number of items that measure the construct of interest
Increase the number of items that measure the construct of interest
This can help reduce…?
a. Systematic error
b. None
c. Random error
d. Both
c. Random error
True or False?
Increasing the number of items can help reduce systematic error
False
Increasing the number of items does not help reduce systematic error
What are the 3 common sources of systematic error in self-report scales?
- ‘Response set bias’
- Socially-desirable responding
- Faking
- ‘Response set bias’
- Socially-desirable responding
- Faking
These are …?
Common sources of systematic error in self-report scales
Give an example of response set bias
Straightlining
Define Straightlining
A type of ‘Insufficient Effort Responding’
Simply = You end up with all of your responses lining up with each other in a straight line
A type of ‘Insufficient Effort Responding’
This is known as…?
Straightlining
Simply = You end up with all of your responses lining up with each other in a straight line
What 3 things contribute to straightlining?
- Acquiescence bias
- ‘Nay saying’
- Midpoint responding
What do these contribute to?
- Acquiescence bias
- ‘Nay saying’
- Midpoint responding
Straightlining (response set bias)
Define Acquiescence bias
The tendency to agree (‘Strongly Agree’, ‘YES’)
The tendency to agree (‘Strongly Agree’, ‘YES’)
This is known as…?
Acquiescence bias
Define ‘Nay saying’
The tendency to disagree
Define Midpoint responding
The tendency to choose the middle option (e.g. ‘neither agree nor disagree’)
The tendency to disagree
This is known as…?
‘Nay saying’
The tendency to choose the middle option (e.g. ‘neither agree nor disagree’)
This is known as…?
Midpoint responding
How can we eliminate response set biases?
List 2 ways
- Remove mid-point option
- Include Reverse-Scored Items
True or False?
Removing mid-point option is always appropriate
False
Removing mid-point option is not always appropriate
How can researchers do reverse-scored items well?
Researchers need to come up with ways to describe the other end of the trait that doesn’t involve relying on negative or asking about the absence of something
e.g. “I do not have a good imagination” can instead be “I have a core imagination”
What is Socially-Desirable Response Bias?
Respondents give answers to questions that they believe will make them look good to others, concealing their true opinions or experiences
Respondents give answers to questions that they believe will make them look good to others, concealing their true opinions or experiences
This is known as…?
Socially-Desirable Response Bias
What does Socially-Desirable Response Bias often affect?
Studies that focus on sensitive or personal topics, such as politics, drug use, or sexual behaviour
What type of bias includes faking?
Socially-Desirable Response Bias
Which bias has a deceptive intent?
Socially-Desirable Response Bias
Socially-Desirable Response Bias is a particular concern in _______ settings
Occupational/forensic
What did Ion & Iliescu (2017) find in their study on Socially-Desirable Response Bias?
Lack of equivalence of NEO-PI-R in high vs low stakes settings (job applicants vs non-applicants)
How can we eliminate socially-desirable response bias?
List 2 ways
- Include ‘Lie Detector’ items
- Make all options socially undesirable
Remove mid-point option
With this method, we can eliminate…?
a. Response Set Biases
b. Socially-Desirable Response Bias
a. Response Set Biases
Include ‘Lie Detector’ items
With this method, we can eliminate…?
a. Response Set Biases
b. Socially-Desirable Response Bias
b. Socially-Desirable Response Bias
Make all options socially undesirable
With this method, we can eliminate…?
a. Response Set Biases
b. Socially-Desirable Response Bias
b. Socially-Desirable Response Bias
Include Reverse-Scored Items
With this method, we can eliminate…?
a. Response Set Biases
b. Socially-Desirable Response Bias
a. Response Set Biases