Personality Assessment

Question 1

The process by which an individual’s thoughts, behaviors, values, identity, and worldview develop in relation to the general thinking, behavior, customs, and values of a particular cultural group

Answer 1

Acculturation

Question 2

A test response style characterized by agreement with whatever is presented

Answer 2

Acquiescence

Question 3

The standard against which a test or a test score is evaluated; this standard may take many forms, including a specific behavior or set of behaviors

Answer 3

Criterion

Question 4

A reference group of testtakers who share characteristics and whose responses to test items serve as a standard by which items will be included or discarded from the final version of a scale; the shared characteristic of the criterion group will vary as a function of the nature and scope of the test being developed

Answer 4

Criterion group

Question 5

The process of using criterion groups to develop test items, wherein the scoring or keying of items has been demonstrated empirically to differentiate among groups of testtakers

Answer 5

Empirical criterion keying

Question 6

Less than accurate rating or evaluation by a rater or judge due to that rater’s general tendency to make ratings at or near the midpoint of the scale; contrast with generosity error and severity error

Answer 6

Error of central tendency

Question 7

A type of item sometimes used in personality tests wherein each of two or more choices has been predetermined to be equal in social desirability

Answer 7

Forced-choice format

Question 8

In the context of item format, aspects of the focus of the item such as the time frame (past, present, or future)

Answer 8

Frame of reference

Question 9

Less than accurate rating or evaluation by a rater due to that rater’s general tendency to be lenient or insufficiently critical; also referred to as leniency error; contrast with severity error

Answer 9

Generosity error

Question 10

A type of rating error wherein the rater views the object of the rating with extreme favor and tends to bestow ratings inflated in a positive direction; a set of circumstances resulting in a rater’s tendency to be positively disposed and insufficiently critical

Answer 10

Halo effect

Question 11

(1) A process by which an individual assumes a pattern of behavior that is characteristic of other people; (2) thoughts, feelings, or behavior on the part of one person that resonates in some familiar way with the experiences of another person

Answer 11

Identification

Question 12

A set of cognitive and behavioral characteristics by which individuals define themselves as members of a particular group; one’s sense of self

Answer 12

Identity

Question 13

An approach to assessment characterized by efforts to learn about each individual’s unique constellation of personality traits, with no attempt to characterize each person according to any particular set of traits; contrast with nomothetic

Answer 13

Idiographic approach

Question 14

Attempting to manipulate others’ opinions and impressions through the selective exposure of some information, including false information, usually coupled with the suppression of other information; in responding to self-report measures of personality, psychopathology, or achievement, impression management may be synonymous with attempts to “fake good” or “fake bad”

Answer 14

Impression management

Question 15

Guiding principles in the attainment of some objective; for example, honesty and ambition

Answer 15

Instrumental values

Question 16

An approach to test scoring and interpretation wherein the testtaker’s responses and the presumed strength of a measured trait are interpreted relative to the measured strength of other traits for that testtaker; contrast with class scoring and cumulative scoring

Answer 16

Ipsative scoring

Question 17

One’s perception of the source of things that happen to one

Answer 17

Locus of control

Question 18

An approach to assessment characterized by efforts to learn how a limited number of personality traits can be applied to all people; contrast with idiographic approach

Answer 18

Nomothetic approach

Question 19

An individual’s unique constellation of psychological traits and states, including as-pects of values, interests, attitudes, worldview, acculturation, sense of personal identity, sense of humor, cognitive and behavioral styles, and related characteristics

Answer 19

Personality

Question 20

The measurement and evaluation of psychological traits, states, values, interests, attitudes, worldview, acculturation, personal identity, sense of humor, cognitive and behavioral styles, and/or related individual characteristics

Answer 20

Personality assessment

Question 21

A narrative description, graph, table, or other representation of the extent to which a person has demonstrated certain targeted characteristics as a result of the administration or application of tools of assessment

Answer 21

Profile

Question 22

An assessment technique in which the task is to sort a group of statements, usually in perceived rank order ranging from “most descriptive” to “least descriptive”; the statements, traditionally presented on index cards, may be sorted in ways that reflect various perceptions, such as how respondents see themselves or would like to see themselves

Answer 22

Q-sort technique

Question 23

A tendency to respond to a test item or interview question in some characteristic manner regardless of content; for example, an acquiescent response style (a tendency to agree) and a socially desirable response style (a tendency to present oneself in a favorable or socially desirable way)

Answer 23

Response style

Question 24

One’s attitudes, beliefs, opinions, and related thoughts about oneself

Answer 24

Self-concept

Question 25

An instrument designed to yield information about how an individual sees him- or herself with regard to selected psychological variables, the data from which are usually interpreted in the context of how others may see themselves on the same or similar variables

Answer 25

Self-concept measure

Question 26

The process wherein an assessee supplies information about him- or herself in forms such as responding to questions, keeping a diary, or reporting on self-monitored thoughts and/or behaviors

Answer 26

Self-report

Question 27

An item format characterized by bi-polar adjectives separated by a 7-point rating scale on which respondents select one point to indicate their response

Answer 27

Semantic differential technique

Question 28

Less than accurate rating or error in evaluation due to the rater’s tendency to be overly critical; contrast with generosity error

Answer 28

Severity error

Question 29

An interview purposely designed to pressure or stress the interviewee in order to gauge reaction to that stress

Answer 29

Stress interview

Question 30

Guiding principles and a mode of behavior that are an end-point objective; for example, “a comfortable life” and “an exciting life”; contrast with instrumental values

Answer 30

Terminal values

Question 31

Any distinguishable, relatively enduring way in which one individual varies from another; contrast with state

Answer 31

Trait

Question 32

As in personality type, a constellation of traits and states similar in pattern to one identified category of personality within a taxonomy of personalities

Answer 32

Type

Question 33

In Friedman and Rosenman’s typology, a personality characterized by competitiveness, haste, restlessness, impatience, feelings of being time-pressured, and strong needs for achievement and dominance

Answer 33

Type A personality

Question 34

In Friedman and Rosenman’s typology, a personality characterized by traits that are opposite of the Type A personality; “mellow” and “laid-back”

Answer 34

Type B personality

Question 35

That which an individual prizes; ideals believed in

Answer 35

Values

Question 36

A shorthand summary of a testtaker’s scores on the MMPI clinical and validity scales

Answer 36

Welsh code

Question 37

The unique way people interpret and make sense of their perceptions in light of their learning experiences, cultural background, and related variables

Answer 37

Worldview