Measuring Personality, 2B Flashcards
What are self-report scales and inventories?
Typically introspective, subjective, structured -more than one item per construct.
What is a scale?
Measures one dimension of personality
What is an inventory?
Measures several scales that measure multiple dimensions of personality
What is random error?
Non-systematic variation in the test score - equally likely to score slightly higher vs. lower score than true score –> increase the number of items
What is systematic error?
Where the test score is always slightly higher or lower than true score -> increasing the number of items does not help.
What is ‘straightlining’?
A type of ‘insufficient effort responding’
What is acquiescence bias?
Tendency to agree
What is ‘nay saying’?
A tendency to disagree
What is midpoint responding?
Tendency to neither agree nor disagree.
What is socially-desirable response bias?
People will respond in a way that makes them look socially desirable. Deceptive intent. Particular concern in occupational/forensic settings.
According to Steffans and Schulze Konig (2006), what are behavioural measures of personality?
Self-reported personality - deliberate behaviour does not always represent who we truly are. Developed measures of trait-relevant ‘spontaneous behaviours’
How was agreeableness determined in Steffans and Schulze Konig (2006)?
Ppts turning up to take part in a study were (falsley) told their name wasn’t on the list, and they might not be able to take part. Responses were rated as an indicator of agreeableness.
How was conscientousness determined in Steffans and Schulze Konig study?
Ppts were given an untimed computer that required accuracy. Speed of completion was taken as a measure of conscientousness.
How was neuroticism determined in Steffans and Schulze Konig study?
Ppts did a ‘horrendously demanding’ working memory task. When they made mistakes, they recieved ‘scolding’ messages. Stress-related reactions that they made were rated as a measure of neuroticism.
How was extraversion determined in Steffans and Schulze Konig study?
Ppts were asked about their experiences of the study by a researcher. The time they spent with said researcher, answering the questions, was taken as a measure of extraversion.
What are the limitations of the Steffans and Schulze Konig study?
- Low concurrent validity
- Inadequacy of behavioural OR self-report measure
- Maybe implicit measures are better than explicit measures
What is the Implicit Personality Assessment?
Steffans and Schulze Konig - Modification of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) - used to measure people’s automatic associations to stimuli.
What is ‘other report’ dependent on?
- External manifestation of feelings, thoughts etc.
- The proportion of situations that observer has access to.
What is self-other knowledge asymmetry? (Vazire, 2010)
Both self and other ratings can be valid predictors of behaviour, but asymmetries in validity of self vs. other knowledge. Others are more accurate than self when rating traits high in evaluativeness. Self is more accurate than others when rating low observability traits. Strongest effects for ‘others’ who are less close.
What is involved in a projective test of personality?
Describe/tell a story about e.g., ambiguous/meaningless stimuli. ‘Projection’ of personality. Scored according to content or focus.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of projective tests of personality?
Advantages:
- Less dependent on introspection
- Less prone to bias and faking
Limitations:
- Subjective
- Complex
- Unreliable scoring
- Not based on mainstream personality theory.
What is involved in apperceptive tests of personality?
Make up a story about each picture. Complete structured questionnaire.
