PSY 207 Flashcards
What is personality?
Personality refers to the combination of characteristics, behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that define an individual’s unique way of interacting with the world. It includes patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are relatively consistent over time and across situations.
What is assessment?
Assessment is the process of evaluating, measuring, or estimating the nature, ability, or quality of something.
What is personality assessment?
Personality assessment is the process of evaluating and measuring an individual’s personality traits, characteristics, and behaviors. This is done through various methods such as self-report questionnaires, interviews, observations, and projective tests. The goal is to understand the individual’s personality structure, which can provide insights into their patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
Types of personality assessment/assessment techniques
- Projective test
- Self report inventory/questionnaire
- Behavioural assessment
- Objective tests
- Interview methods
Purpose of personality assessment
- SELF-UNDERSTANDING & GROWTH: Helps individuals identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
- CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS: Assists mental health professionals in diagnosing disorders and creating personalized treatment plans.
- CAREER GUIDANCE: Matches personality traits with suitable careers and helps organizations in hiring decisions.
- RESEARCH: Aids in studying personality traits and their influence on behavior, health, and relationships.
- INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Improves understanding, communication, and conflict resolution in personal and professional relationships.
- EDUCATION: Supports educators in understanding students’ learning styles and needs.
5 objectives of personality assessment
- UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES: It helps in identifying and understanding the distinct characteristics that make each person unique, such as traits, behaviors, and emotional patterns.
- DIAGNOSING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS: Personality assessments can aid in diagnosing mental health conditions by assessing traits and behaviors that might indicate disorders like depression, anxiety, or personality disorders.
- PREDICTING BEHAVIOR: It provides insights into how individuals may react in different situations, helping predict behavior in social, work, or personal contexts.
- IMPROVING SELF-AWARENESS: These assessments can help individuals better understand themselves, their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations, leading to personal growth and development.
- GUIDING TREATMENT OR INTERVENTION: For therapists or counselors, personality assessments can inform treatment plans, helping tailor interventions to the specific needs of the individual based on their personality traits.
Problems facing personality assessment in Nigeria
- LACK OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT ASSESSMENT TOOLS: Most personality tests used in Nigeria, such as the Big Five or MBTI, were developed in Western contexts and may not accurately capture Nigerian cultural traits, values, and behaviors.
- LIMITED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: There is insufficient research on indigenous personality constructs, making it difficult to develop reliable and valid local assessment tools.
- LOW AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE: Many Nigerians are unfamiliar with personality testing, and some may view it with skepticism or associate it with supernatural beliefs.
- POOR STANDARDIZATION AND VALIDATION: Many available personality tests have not been properly standardized for the Nigerian population, leading to inaccurate results.
- LANGUAGE BARRIERS: Most tests are in English, which may not be fully understood by individuals who are more comfortable with indigenous languages, affecting their responses.
- INFLUENCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL FACTORS: Economic hardship, family expectations, and religious beliefs can influence personality expression, making it hard to apply standardized personality models.
- INADEQUATE TRAINING OF PROFESSIONALS: Many psychologists, HR personnel, and counselors may not be adequately trained in administering and interpreting personality assessments.
- COST AND ACCESSIBILITY: High-quality personality assessments are often expensive and not widely available, limiting access for the general population.
Short notes on types of personality assessment
- Self-Report – A method where individuals answer questions about their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, often using questionnaires or surveys (e.g., Big Five Personality Test).
- Interview Method – Involves a structured or unstructured conversation where a psychologist asks questions to assess personality, mental health, or suitability for a job.
- Projective Test – Uses ambiguous stimuli, like inkblots or pictures, to encourage individuals to project their subconscious thoughts and emotions (e.g., Rorschach Inkblot Test).
- Observation Method – Involves watching and recording a person’s behavior in a natural or controlled setting to assess traits, habits, or psychological conditions.
What are psychological tests?
Psychological tests are standardised tools used to measure an individual’s mental functions, behaviours, and personality traits. They are designed to assess different aspects of human psychology, such as intelligence, personality, aptitude, and mental health.
5 personality theories
- Psychoanalytic theory
- Trait theory
- Humanistic theory
- Social learning theory
- Behaviorist theory
Characteristics of Id, Ego, and Superego
Id (Instincts and Desires)
- Operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification.
- Is unconscious and driven by basic urges like hunger, aggression, and sexual desires.
- Lacks morality or logic, focusing only on satisfying impulses.
Ego (Reality and Balance)
- Operates on the reality principle, balancing the id’s desires with real-world constraints.
- Uses rational thinking and problem-solving to make decisions.
- Acts as a mediator between the id and superego, ensuring socially acceptable behavior.
Superego (Morality and Ethics)
- Operates on the perfection principle, striving for ideal behavior.
- Represents moral values and societal rules learned from parents and culture.
- Causes guilt or pride based on whether actions align with moral standards.
Uses of psychological tests
- Used by psychologists and psychiatrists to assess conditions like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and adhd.
- Helps identify learning disabilities, giftedness, and academic strengths or weaknesses.
- Assists employers in evaluating candidates’ personalities, skills, and job suitability.
- Helps individuals understand their strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits for self-improvement.
- Assesses brain function in individuals with head injuries or neurological disorders.
- Used in psychological research to study human behaviour, personality, and cognitive processes.
- Helps in court cases to assess criminal responsibility, mental competence, and risk assessment.
- Guides psychologists in developing personalised therapy and treatment plans.
Characteristics of psychological tests
- Objectivity – The test measures traits without personal bias or subjective interpretation.
- Reliability – It produces consistent results over time and across different situations.
- Validity – It accurately measures what it is designed to assess.
- Standardization – The test follows uniform procedures for administration and scoring.
- Practicality – It is easy to administer, score, and interpret within a reasonable time and cost.
Types of psychological tests
- Personality tests
- Achievement tests
- Aptitude tests
- Attitude tests
- Emotional intelligence tests
- Intelligence tests
- Neuropsychological tests
- Projective tests
- Observation tests
What is intelligence?
Intelligence is the ability to learn, understand, and apply knowledge to solve problems, adapt to new situations, and think critically. It involves reasoning, memory, problem-solving, creativity, and the ability to process and use information effectively.
Types of intelligence
- Linguistic Intelligence – The ability to use language effectively, seen in writers, poets, and speakers.
- Logical-Mathematical Intelligence – Strong reasoning, problem-solving, and numerical skills, common in scientists and mathematicians.
- Spatial Intelligence – The ability to visualize and manipulate objects mentally, important for artists, architects, and engineers.
- Musical Intelligence – Sensitivity to sound, rhythm, and music, seen in musicians and composers.
- Emotional Intelligence – The ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in oneself and others.
Differentiate between personality assessment and psychological tests
– Personality assessments focus on measuring an individual’s personality traits, emotional characteristics, and behavioral patterns, while psychological tests assess various mental abilities, including intelligence, aptitude, and mental health.
– Personality assessments are used to understand a person’s character, social interactions, and emotional responses, whereas psychological tests help in diagnosing mental conditions, evaluating cognitive abilities, and measuring skills.
– Personality assessments mainly examine traits like extroversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability, while psychological tests cover a wider range of mental functions, including reasoning, problem-solving, and memory.
– Common personality assessments include the Big Five Personality Test, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), while psychological tests include intelligence tests (IQ tests), achievement tests, and neuropsychological evaluations.
– Personality assessments are often used in career counseling, relationship counseling, and self-awareness, while psychological tests are used in clinical psychology, education, and forensic settings.
Types of intelligence tests
- Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
- Woodcock Johnson 3 tests of cognitive disabilities
- Wechsler adult intelligence scale
- Stanford-Binet intelligence scale
- Peabody individual achievement test
- Universal nonverbal intelligence
- Differential ability scales
Types of personality tests
- Thematic apperception test
- Rorschach Inkblot test
- MMPI
- Sentence completion test
- Draw a person test
