Personality Methods Flashcards
What is S data?
The way ppl DESCRIBE themselves matches the way they are described by OTHERS
What are 6 advantages to S data?
- LARGE amount of info (reflect complex aspects)
- ACCESS to thoughts, feelings and intentions (unique)
- DEFINITIONAL TRUTH (personality = self views?= S data correct?)
- CASUAL FORCE (what you think = among causes of what you do)
- SIMPLE & EASY (important info quick and cheap)
- FACE VALIDITY (ask’s Q’s directly related to construct designed to measure)
What are 3 disadvantages in S data?
- Maybe they WON’T tell you (withhold S data = compromised)
- Maybe they CAN’T tell you (lack of insight, bad memory)
Ex) fish-and-water effect = fish don’t know they are wet, they become accustomed) - TOO simple & TOO easy (so cheap/easy that it’s probs overused)
Ex) 70% journals in personality used “S data” and nothing else
What is I data?
Judgments by knowledgeable INFORMANTS about general attributes of the indivs personality
KEY informant well-acquainted w/ indiv.
Frequently used in DAILY life
What are 5 advantages of I data?
- LARGE amount of INFO (multiple informants, behaviour mult. situations)
- Based on REAL WORLD observations
- Takes advantage of ppls COMMON SENSE (context very important)
- (a) immediate situation
- (b) behaviours the informant knows about
= affect how one views persons behaviour - DEFINITIONAL TRUTH (some aspects personality reside in reactions of other ppl)
Ex) how “charming” you are - CASUAL FORCE (reflects your reputation, people become what others expect them to be)
Ex) confirmation/expectancy effect
What are 4 disadvantages of I data?
- Limited BEHAVIOURAL INFO (informant may only see person at work)
One person = limited validity - LACK of access to PRIVATE experience (info may be shared to informant sparingly)
- ERROR (bad memory, remember events only that were extreme or unusual)
- BIAS
Ex) “letter of recommendation effect”
What is L data?
Verifiable, concrete, real-life facts that may hold PSYCH significance
Results or “residue” of personality rather than DIRECT reflection
Life outcomes, health & physical enviro
Ex) state of bedroom —-> describes what kind of person you are?
What did the study of uni students show in terms of L data?
Tidy bedrooms —> high in conscientiousness
Lots of books in room —> more open to new experiences
What was the significance of the Gilmore girls clip shown in class?
L data
Garbage —> how much it can say about a person
“There’s nothing wrong about wanting to learn more about human nature”
What was the significance of the Sam Gosling clip shown in class?
“Snoopology”
Makes assessments of ppls rooms
Found organized rooms —> personality traits: pragmatic, conventional and consciousnesses
What are 3 advantages in L data?
- OBJECTIVE & VERIFIABLE (outcomes = specific, number form even)
- INTRINSIC importance (often exactly what the psychologist needs to know)
- PSYCHOLOGICAL relevance
Ex) someone has personality traits that make them more successful in life
What are 2 disadvantages in L data?
- MULTIDETERMINISM (many causes, spec connections?)
Ex) environment, education, economic status - Possible LACK of psychological relevance (predictions of personality are limited)
What is B data?
Most VISIBLE indication of a persons personality
Placed in a testing situation & OBSERVED
CONTEXT is in real persons life or artificial setting
Can be derived from personality tests
What is “natural” B data?
Diary methods:
-NOT self-judgments
- direct indications of spec behavior
Experience-sampling methods:
- moment-by-moment reports of what people doing/feeling
Ex) beeper method- MIX “s” and “b” data
Ambulatory assessments (EAR)
- small device carried samples sounds throughout day
Reports of SPEC BEHAV offered by self/acquaintance
What are 2 advantages of B data?
- RANGE of contexts (can provide info that’s normally hidden)
- Appearance of OBJECTIVITY (psych gathers info directly , may be expressed in # form- high reliability)
