Measuring Personality

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Measuring Personality
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Why measure personality?

• Determine workplace suitability
• To be used in conjunction with intelligence tests
  to make decisions about school suitability
• To assist in diagnosis of a mental illness
• To be used to court by forensic psychologists to
  determine personality of a possible offender
• Sport psychologists to help understand their
  clients
• As part of a research study or to develop tests
• Generally used for diagnostic purposes

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Personality tests

• A personality test is an assessment device used
  to evaluate or measure aspects of personality,
  such as factors (dimensions) and traits
• First developed during WW1 to help with
  suitability of applicants
• Different tests based on different theorists
• two different kinds or types of personality
  tests personality inventories and projective
  tests

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Personality Inventories

• Most commonly used of personality tests
• A personality inventory is a self-report, paper
  and pencil or online test which has a list of
  questions designed to assess various aspects of
  personality
• Examples are the 16PF, EPQ and NEO-PI-R
• are considered to be objective tests because
  the person giving the test does not subjectively
  (personally) interpret what the test-taker means
  by their responses
• The answers given are compared with the answers
  of other
• individuals with known personality traits who
  have taken the test

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Cont.

• The questions cover such things as their
  interests, emotional functioning, sociability,
  agreeableness, openness to experience,
  conscientiousness, attitudes and values
• The individual responds to the questions such as
  yes/no, in terms of whether they like/ dislike or
  agree/disagree with a statement about themselves
  or someone else, or an a rating scale where the
  individual indicates how much they like/dislike
  or agree/disagree with a statement like/dislike
  or agree/disagree with a statement.
• Each item of the inventory provides information
  about one of the traits or dimensions being
  measured
• By comparing responses to norms, a personality
  profile is compiled
• A personality profile is an overall pictorial
  representation and summary of personality, based
  on responses to specific questions

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Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

• Developed in 1930s
• Mainly used to assist in diagnosis of mental
  illnesses
• Also used by Victoria police as part of
  recruitment process
• Designed to identify characteristic pattern of
  responses associated with abnormal personality

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MMPI- 2 (1989)

• 567 Items
• Usually takes between one and two hours to
  complete
• MMPI-2-RF only has 338 items
• Made up of true/false/cannot say responses
• Each item relates to one of the personality
  dimensions (or scales)
• Personality profile is compiled from these based
  on comparisons to norms
• A score of 50 is considered average
• 2/3 of normal population score between 40-60
• Scores above 65 indicates responses on that scale
  are more extreme that 95 of population and
  clinically significant
• Can be used to assess effectiveness of treatment

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MMPI
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Use of personality and aptitude inventories in
vocational selections

• In the past 20 years or so there has been an
  increase by all types of organisations and
  workplaces to use personality and aptitude
  inventories for vocational selections
• A vocation is an occupation, or position within
  an organisation, for which a person is suited,
  trained or qualified
• A job refers to performing a particular role
  within an organisation
• Career is used to refer to the sequence of
  occupational positions and jobs a person holds
  and performs during the course of their working
  life

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Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

• The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a
  personality inventory which categorises an
  individual into one of 16 personality types
  depending on their preferences for how they
  perceive the world and make decisions
• Is based on psychodynamic theory developed by
  Carl Jung

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Theory of psychological types

• In his theory of psychological types, Jung
  proposed that people could be described in terms
  of psychological types
• Jung believed we all have a dominant attitude
  of either extraversion (outward looking) or
  introversion (inward looking)
• Our attitude influences our perception of the
  world and our experiences
• To make sense of the world we use one of four
  functions or processes thinking, feeling,
  sensing or intuiting
• Combinations of the attitudes and functions make
  up 8 possible 8 psychological types
• Each has a predictable and distinctive pattern of
  behaviour associated with personality

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Myers-Briggs

• 1940s Katherine Briggs became interested in
  Jungs theory
• Isabel Briggs-Myers (daughter) also became
  interested in their theory and its application
• Myers believed that Jungs theory showed how
  different personality types could be suited to
  particular vocations and that personality type
  could influence job performance
• MBTI was created to be used for personnel
  selection purposes
• Is a paper and pencil test which consists of 100
  items
• On the basis of responses, the test taker is
  classified on 4 different dimensions

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Dimensions of MBTI

• Extraversion (E) - Introversion (I) whether your
  energy is directed outward towards the world of
  activity, people and other things (E), or whether
  your energy is directed inward to your own
  thoughts and ideas (I)
• Sensing (S) -Intuition (N) whether you prefer to
  take in information from the five senses (S), or
  whether you prefer to receive information from
  the unconscious (N)
• Thinking (T) -Feeling (F) whether you make
  decisions with your head using logic and
  impersonal reasoning (T), or whether you decide
  with your heart using personal feelings and
  evaluations (F)
• Judging (J) - Perceiving (P) whether you prefer
  to approach your life in a planned, orderly and
  organised way ( J), or whether you approach life
  more flexibly, being spontaneous and open to
  options (P)

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• The various combinations make 16 personality
  types, each of which is different and then your
  whole type is identified
• Refer to Box 12.10, pg. 553 for descriptions
• Descriptions are not based on strength or
  competence of a preference
• Types are not negative or positive and none are
  better than others
• Some types are more common than others
• It is possible to change your type over timeIt
  is estimated that 2 million people take the test
  each year

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MBTI

• Although the test is commonly used in workplaces,
  few psychologists use the test
• This is because it is lacking in validity,
  reliability and scientific research evidence
• Also, there is also concern that people without a
  background in psychology can attend a short
  course to be certified to use the MBTI- therefore
  it can be misused
• It is only based on a limited view of Jungs
  theory which is not widely regarded more
  contemporary psychologists

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Task

• Complete Activity 12.30

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Hollands Self-Directed Search (SDS)

• Counselling inventory which allows a person to
  identify their personality type and match it with
  career preferences which suit their personality
  type
• Used extensively by psychologists and careers
  counsellors

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SDS

• Developed by American psychologist John Holland
  (1919-2008)
• Based on his theory of careers (1973, 1997)
• research shows that personalities seek out and
  flourish in career environments they fit and that
  occupations and career environments are
  classifiable by the personalities that flourish
  in them
• We choose careers that match our personality
  because we like to be around others who have
  similar personalities

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Hollands personality types

• All people fit into one or more of 6 personality
  types
• Realistic (R), investigative (I), artistic (A),
  social (S), enterprising (E) and conventional (C)
• Sometimes referred to as the RIASEC theory

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Realistic (R) characteristics

• shy, conforming, honest, straightforward,
  practical, self-reliant, persistent and thrifty
• good at and prefers hands-on activities such as
  using tools and machines
• is not good at and prefers to avoid activities
  involving interactions with others, like teaching
  and helping or healing
• has good skills in working with tools, mechanical
  or electrical drawings, machines, or plants and
  animals
• often has athletic abilities is attracted to
  careers such as mechanic, carpenter, electrician,
  air traffic controller, cook, surveyor and
  gardener

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Investigative (I) characteristics

• intellectual, analytical, curious, critical,
  precise, methodical, cautious and modest
• good at and prefers learning by reading, studying
  or investigation, and solving maths or science
  problems
• not good at and prefers to avoid activities
  involving leading, selling, or persuading people
• attracted to careers such as mathematician,
  biologist, veterinarian, surgeon, laboratory
  assistant, engineer, computer programmer and
  systems analyst

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Artistic (A) characteristics

• imaginative, intuitive, original, impulsive,
  independent, open, disorderly, unconventional,
  emotional and expressive
• good at and prefers to do creative activities
  such as art, drama, crafts, dance, music, or
  creative writing
• is not good at and prefers to avoid highly
  ordered or repetitive, routine-type activities
  such as clerical work
• is attracted to careers such as musician,
  composer, photographer, dancer, journalist,
  writer, architect, actor, stage director and
  interior designer

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Social (S) characteristics

• helpful, cooperative, friendly, idealistic,
  empathetic, generous, persuasive, responsible and
  tactful
• concern for social problems and good
  interpersonal skills
• good at and prefers to do things to help people
  such as teaching, providing information and
  giving first aid
• not good at and prefers to avoid using machines
  and tools to achieve a goal
• attracted to careers such as nursing, teaching,
  speech therapy, occupational therapy, welfare
  work, religious work, police officer, personnel
  manager and specialist areas of psychology that
  involve counselling

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Enterprising (E) characteristics

• tends to be domineering, argumentative,
  energetic, self-confident, sociable,
  pleasure-seeking, energetic, exhibitionistic and
  optimistic
• good at and prefers to lead and persuade people,
  and to sell ideas and things
• not good at and prefers to avoid activities that
  require complicated scientific and systematic
  thinking
• attracted to careers such as management, lawyer,
  salesperson, politician, travel agent, town
  planner, television production, financial planner
  and sports promoter

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Conforming (C) characteristics

• conforming, conscientious, inflexible, obedient,
  persistent, practical, calm and self controlled
• good at and prefers to work with numbers, written
  records, or business machines in a set, planned
  and orderly way
• not good at and prefers to avoid ambiguous,
  unstructured activities that do not have clear
  directions
• attracted to careers such as accountant, book
  keeper, postal officer, bank teller,
  administrative officer, payroll clerk, building
  inspector, secretary, radio despatcher, switch
  board operator, checkout operator and website
  editor

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SDS questionnaire

• Designed to assess these personality types
• Self administered, self scored and self
  interpreted
• All positive responses are added up to obtain a 3
  letter code which represents top 3 types for
  individual (1 letter in code most represents test
  taker)
• Each letter in the code represents a personality
  type

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Hollands hexagon

• Hollands theory uses a hexagon so show
  similarities and differences between types
• Those closer together are more similar
• The hexagon can be used to estimate the extent to
  which a persons type and an occupation, a work
  environment or a field on study are compatible or
  match

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Purpose

• To assist the test taker with career planning and
  decision making
• It is not intended to provide advice that must be
  followed by the test taker
• Provides theoretically appropriate career options
  and should be explored further with a career
  counsellor

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Support for theory

• Research studies conducted by psychologists on
  different aspects of Hollands theory tend to
  support it
• correlation studies have found some
  co-relationship between Hollands RAISEC
  personality types and job satisfaction however
  correlations tend to be low (about .2)
• Research studies have also found an overlap
  between Hollands types and the OCEAN factors of
  personality, however correlations also tend to be
  low

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• OCEAN factors are preferred over Hollands RAISEC
  types by most contemporary psychologists
• Most contemporary psychologists believe that
  describing personality in terms of types is
  outdated
• This is because it lacks explanation of how
  people develop their personality and why people
  develop into certain types
• Type theories are seen as too simplistic because
  they ignore individual differences

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• Aspects of theory are outdated does not take
  into account part time and casual work and
  careers satisfaction in this type of work
• Can be biased females most commonly tend to be
  classified in combinations of the artistic,
  social and conventional types
• Ignores other factors that influence career choice

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Task

• Read box 12.11 internet tests can be harmful p.
  558

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Strengths of inventories

• Quick to administer and can be given to a large
  number of people at the same time
• Most use computer scoring
• can measure a single trait, type, or multiple
  traits simultaneously

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and Limitations

• Because participants know their purpose they may
  manipulate their responses so that they match
  what they think the employer wants
• To check for this, the personality inventories
  most widely used by psychologists have a set of
  questions spread throughout the test specifically
  designed to assess whether the test-taker is
  likely to have lied during the test
• A lie scale score is calculated using the
  responses to these questions
• Because choice of responses is set, information
  provided is limited
• Cultural bias

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Task

• Complete Activity 12.32