Slide 1Main ObjectivesActivity: What’s Paul’s personality?Finding and Integrating Clues to Personality(1) S Data: Self-Judgments or Self-ReportsAdvantages of S DataSlide 7Disadvantages of S DataApplication: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…(2) Informant Report (I) DataAdvantages of I DataAdvantages of I DataDisadvantages of I DataDisadvantages of I DataThink About the Sources of Influence on DataApplication: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…(3) Life Outcomes (L) DataAdvantages and Disadvantages of L DataApplication: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…(4) Behavioral (B) DataNatural B DataNatural B DataApplication: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…Laboratory B DataAdvantages and Disadvantages of B DataAdvantages and Disadvantages of B DataMixed Types of DataEnded here 1/27PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITYLecture 3 1/27/16Intro to Personality Research MethodsPersonality Data: BLISStephanie Federspiel, Ph.D.1Main Objectives■Recap Video application from 49 Up: Paul ■Discuss four ways to “look at” personality (BLIS—behavior, life, informants, self)■Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each type of data■Discuss basic issues of data quality■Next week: research strategies: case method, correlation, experiment, quasi-experiment. (we’ll identify features of the studies in the articles)Activity: What’s Paul’s personality?■How would you describe Paul’s personality? ■What’s the same about him in the ages depicted? How does he change?■Consider a question that might be asked from one or more of these basic approaches:–Trait, Biological, Learning & Social-Cognitive, Psychoanalytic, Phenomenological (humanistic/cross-cultural)1Finding and Integrating Clues to Personality■Science emphasizes the importance of process/method used to explore the unknown. ■Scientists who study personality have the goals of developing appropriate strategies for detecting and assembling/interpreting clues about personality.■Two “laws” (guidelines) suggested by Funder–“There are no perfect indicators of personality; there are only clues, and clues are always ambiguous” (p. 23)–“Something beats nothing” (p. 24)(1) S Data: Self-Judgments or Self-Reports■Usually questionnaires or surveys■Most frequent data source■High face validityAdvantages of S Data1. Relatively simple and easy “cheap” data.2. Based on a very large amount of information (episodes, contexts)3. Access to private thoughts, feelings, and intentions.(4) Definitional truth for q’s of self perception/evaluation (5) Causal force has been documented. –Efficacy expectations (cognitive/motivational)–Self-verification (social process)Advantages of S DataDisadvantages of S Data1. Maybe people won’t tell you.2. Maybe people can’t tell you:Fish-and-water effectActive distortion of memoryLack of self-insight3. Too simple and too easy (overused!)Application: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…■Self judgment or description?1(2) Informant Report (I) Data■Family members, teachers, friends or acquaintances, co-workers, supervisors, clinical psychologists, etc.■Often, no training or expertise needed■Based on observing people in whatever specific context(s) they know them from.■Used frequently in daily life; appear as overall judgments.Advantages of I Data(1) Often based on a large amount of information–Judgments from multiple informants.–Many behaviors in many situations(2) Based on observation of real world behavior –More likely to be relevant to important outcomesAdvantages of I Data(3) Based on common sense re: what behaviors mean–Context: present situation; past history(4) Definitional truth for some aspects.(5) Causal force–Reputation affects opportunities and expectancies–Expectancy effects; also called behavioral confirmationDisadvantages of I Data1) Limited behavioral information2) Lack of access to private experienceDisadvantages of I Data1) Limited behavioral information2) Lack of access to private experience3) Error: more likely to remember behaviors that are extreme, unusual, or emotionally arousing4) Bias: due to personal issues or prejudicesThink About the Sources of Influence on Data■What are some aspects of personality that people are likely and unlikely to accurately and honestly report about themselves?■What influences your best friend’s, coworkers’, and mother’s impressions of you?Application: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…■Informant data?1(3) Life Outcomes (L) Data■Obtained from archival records or self-report–Advantages and disadvantages of archival records■From social media■The results, or “residue,” of personality (potentially…)Advantages and Disadvantages of L DataAdvantages1. Objective and verifiable2. Intrinsic importance3. Psychological relevanceDisadvantage MultideterminationApplication: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…■Life Outcome data?1(4) Behavioral (B) Data■Observations of a person’s behavior in daily life or in a laboratory or other “testing” situation. ■Information is carefully and systematically recorded from direct observation.Natural B Data■Records based on normal, ongoing life activities:Daily diary Experience-sampling methods (“beeper”)EAR: electronically activated recorderAmbulatory assessment: using computer-assisted methods to assess behavior, thoughts, and feelingsNatural B Data■Advantage–Realistic■Disadvantages–Difficult–Desired contexts may seldom occurApplication: Identify BLIS in the video depiction of Paul…■Natural B data?1Laboratory B Data■Experiments can manipulate situations.–Make a situation happen and record behavior–Examine reactions to situations–Represent real-life contexts that are difficult to observe directly■Physiological measures: biological “behavior”Advantages and Disadvantages of B Data■Advantages1) Large range of contexts in the lab2) Appearance of objectivity■But subjective judgments must still be madeAdvantages and Disadvantages of B Data■Advantages1) Large range of contexts in the lab2) Appearance of objectivity■But subjective judgments must still be made■Disadvantages1) Difficult and expensive2) Uncertain interpretationMixed Types of Data■Data do not always fit into only one category■There is a wide range of possible types of data■Each type has advantages and disadvantagesEnded here 1/27■We’ll finish