Personality psychology chapter3 insues in personality assessment

Chapter Three Issues in Personality Assessment Sources of Information • Ratings by others – Direct report by observer – Peer ratings • Self-reports – Scales—assess a single aspect of personality – Inventories—measure several distinct aspects of personality Implicit Assessment • Indirect means of determining what a person is like • Example: Implicit Association Test (IAT) – People make categorical decisions rapidly – Response times can reveal how closely linked different concepts are in a person’s mind Types of Information • Objective: measure of concrete reality that involves no interpretation – Example—counts of the time a person touches another in an interpersonal interaction • Subjective: measure that involves interpretation – Example—evaluation of facial expressions for signs of hostility Reliability Consistency or repeatability of measurement • High reliability = greater consistency = lower randomness (error) • Low reliability = less consistency = more error Types of Reliability • Internal reliability: reflects consistency within a set of items intended to measure the same construct • Test-retest reliability: reflects consistency of a measure across time Validity Accuracy of measurement—does it measure what it’s supposed to measure? • Types of Validity – – – – – Construct Criterion Convergent Discriminant Face Construct Validity • Indicates a match between operational and conceptual definitions • Most important type of validity • Other types of validity help establish construct validity Criterion (Predictive) Validity • Most important indicator of construct validity • Examines how well a measure correlates with a standard of comparison (criterion) – Example—does an aggression scale correlate with observer ratings of shoving on a playground? • Examines how well a measure predicts an appropriate outcome – Example—does a self-esteem scale predict who will volunteer answers in class? Convergent Validity • Indicates appropriate correlation with assessment devices presumed to measure the same construct – Highly correlated • Indicates appropriate correlation with assessment devices presumed to measure conceptually similar constructs – Correlated, but not too high, not too low Discriminant Validity • Indicates that scale does NOT correlate with other assessment devices presumed to measure conceptually dissimilar constructs Example: Correlations with Sociability scale Measure Correlation Demonstrates Number of friends 89 Convergent Validity Hours spent alone -.92 Convergent Validity 04 Discriminant Validity -.06 Discriminant Validity Neuroticism Conscientiousness Face Validity • Indicates that the item or scale measures what you think it is supposed to measure – Examples: Construct • Depression • Optimism Item Do you often feel sad or blue? Do you generally expect good things to happen? Culture and Validity • Important questions – Does construct exist in all cultures? (cultural universality) – Are items interpreted the same in each culture? Classic Representation of Reliability and Validity Not Reliable Not Valid Reliable Not Valid Reliable Valid Challenges to Validity • Memory bias • Motivational bias – Response sets—readiness to answer in a particular way • Yea saying (acquiescence) • Nay saying • Social desirability Two Approaches to the Development of Assessment Devices • Rational (Theoretical) Approach – Start with conceptualization – Select items to fit conceptualization – Test validity and reliability • Empirical (Data-Based) Approach – Empirically driven from many items – Use statistical methods to select items based on ability of items to differentiate criterion group Example of Empirical Approach • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) – Started with many self-descriptive statements – Administered to “normals” and groups with psychiatric diagnoses – Items selected for a scale were ones that differentiated a particular psychiatric group from all others When Are Different Methods Used? • Rational Approach – Usually in connection with theory building • Empirical – Usually used in connection with practical needs • Example: Vocational interests ... of Information • Ratings by others – Direct report by observer – Peer ratings • Self-reports – Scales—assess a single aspect of personality – Inventories—measure several distinct aspects of personality. .. Response times can reveal how closely linked different concepts are in a person’s mind Types of Information • Objective: measure of concrete reality that involves no interpretation – Example—counts... interpretation – Example—counts of the time a person touches another in an interpersonal interaction • Subjective: measure that involves interpretation – Example—evaluation of facial expressions for