Projective Tests & Self Report Measures

Question 1

What are projective tests? How does meaning play into them?

Answer 1

These tests are ambiguous. There is no meaning to them because the stimuli has no meaning. This means that anything the person says reflects their personality.

Question 2

What are some examples of projective tests?

Answer 2

Association, construction, completion, arrangement, expression

Question 3

What are self-report measures? What do they assess?

Answer 3

You just hand them to the person and they’re responsible for thinking of and interpreting the questions, can’t usually ask for clarification.

They assess things like personality, symptoms, attitudes, behaviors, emotional experiences, abilities, aptitudes.

Question 4

What are direct self ratings?

Answer 4

You report directly on your own personality, clear and simple, the assumption is that whatever you say is the most valid assessment.
Eg. I like dogs
Not true 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very True

Question 5

What are indirect self reports?

Answer 5

Maybe the psychologist wants to avoid the socially desirable response or a biased response. They’ll ask the question indirectly, the most valid response will be the one asked indirectly.

Question 6

Should you use direct or indirect self reports?

Answer 6

Direct maximizes face validity (looks like it’s measuring what it’s supposed to be measuring), and indirect minimizes it.

Question 7

What are open ended self-descriptions? What’s the most common one? Is it reliable?

Answer 7

Participants get to report on whatever they want. Most common is 20 statements test. Not super reliable, not much evidence on how to code different responses

Question 8

Explain different response styles (self-presentation, acquiescent responding, extreme responding).

Answer 8

Self-presentation: socially desirable, self-deception, malingering
Acquiescent responding: agreeing without really thinking
Extreme responding: responding only 1’s or only 7’s