Psychology of Personality Lecture 5 2 8 16 Finish Personality Assessment Intro to Trait Approach Controversy Stephanie Federspiel Ph D 1 Objectives Recap appropriate use of projective tests Highlight methods of objective test construction Recap of Person Situation controversy note pay attention to tables in book Describe interactionism and mechanistic approaches 1 Projective TestsE Objective TestsE I feel I have a number of good qualities Disagree Agree How likely is it that you would engage in this type of behavior Very unlikely Very likely Consensus on Projective Tests Projective tests are based in a theory that we can should evoke and measure implicit possibly less censored aspects of personal motives e g power intimacy achievement concerns etc for better understanding prediction Validity requires careful scoring based on formal established rules and is lower than desired Some argue that this is because the intended targets are more state like Consensus on Projective Tests Many Objective tests are much more evidencebased reliable valid useful and cost effective Objective tests are highly preferred for when the goal is diagnosis prediction career counseling and or legal decision making Projective tests and other measures of implicit processes are appropriate for research and theory development including re individual persons Techniques for Objective Test Construction 1 Rational People identify organize all relevant content S data usually face valid Consider obstacles to S data validity Techniques for Objective Test Construction 1 Factor Analysis Correlations group items based on underlying property 1 2 3 4 Generate a long list of objective items Administer these items to a large number of people Analyze with a factor analysis Consider what the items that group together have in common and name the factor Can refine lists reduce long lists to essential items Sometimes identifying factors is easy What do these items have in common 1 2 3 4 In most ways my life is close to my ideal The conditions of my life are excellent I am satisfied with my life So far I have gotten the important things I want in my life 5 If I could live my life over I would change almost nothing How many animals are under the water How many animals are under the water How many animals are under the water How many animals are under the water How Sea Monsters Factor Analysis Some surface parts move together covary others move independently not covarying you did an intuitive correlation to infer what was actually underwater How many animals are under the water Surface features Data observations ALAXIA THREXIA Underwater factors sources Name Basis Advantages of factor analysis 1 Reduces the multiple possible reflections of personality into a smaller set of traits 2 Helps identify whether some items and or traits matter more than others more loadings 3 Helps create evaluate assessment devices 15 Cautions in using Factor Analysis 1 Did you enter enough right kinds of info GIGO 2 Subjectivity in interpretation final factors can they be correlated how to name 3 2 Doesn t tell us the causal developmental structure of traits facets or about the structure of traits in an individual Techniques for Objective Test Construction 1 Rational 2 Factor Analysis 3 Empirical aka Criterion key Basic assumption groups can be identified based on distinctive profiles of answers Steps for using this method 1 2 3 4 Gather lots of items content is irrelevant Administer to people already divided into groups Compare the answers of the different groups Cross validation does it work time place population Not based on theory ignores item content Items can seem absurd lacks face validity Techniques for Objective Test Construction 1 Rational 2 Factor Analysis 3 Empirical aka Criterion key 4 Combination of approaches Example Construct Validation Approach 1 Theory clear full conceptual definition items 2 Statistical analysis of many items different measures 3 Examine patterns of correlations to support validity convergence reliability concurrence discrimination distinctiveness of attribute prediction as specified by theory indep criteria REMEMBER Good measures are supported by Scientific Evidence Statistical analysis is needed to show that measures are reliable and Valid Are you measuring what you intend to measure Requires reliability first Requires theoretically consistent patterns of covariance Attributes that should be correlated or uncorrelated Outcomes that should be correlated Measures must be appropriate for their intended use target informant issues Applicable norms Some measures are more evidence based Extensive a few examples Measures of Big 5 NEO PI R BFI PRF etc Measures of pathology Beck Depression Inventory Moderate a few examples Cattell s 16 PF MMPI for clinical use California Psychological Inventory CPI Very Low or Absent a few examples The MBTI types Tests in magazines etc The Person Situation controversy crisis Low consistency observed in behavior across situations B B r 30 Is idea of consistent personality emerging from internal characteristics an illusion Fundamental Attribution Error exists 21 Summary Can traits predict behavior 1 Not extremely well in short term single situations but effect sizes are often similar to situation effects Suggested r s for I B S B B B 30 40 The situation matter s Real life Engaging The person type of behavior may matter Personal consistency varies Good studies shows BOTH situation effects consistency 2 Well over the long term aggregation Traits predict weekly trends and major life outcomes Model Repeated patterns of behavior life outcomes GOAL understand the processes mechanisms 22 Explaining Intraindividual variation 1 Situations are not perceived similarly If then stability exists Psychologically similar situations similar behaviors book example Camp Wediko study Mischel 2 Regulatory processes fluctuate Consequences for feeling like true self 23 Mean people suck But maybe they don t all want to be mean lazy etc Self regulation machinery is on too taxed e g Denson et al 2012 24 Experiencing one s own inconsistency 1 Inconsistency inauthentic false self although people predict this 2 Your true self may be your best self your regulated value consistent self your growth oriented self Fleeson Wilt 2010 E C A O N 25 Evidence Supporting Personality 1 Consistency stability biological basis for some characteristi Consistency Agreement across informants methods also consistent behavior in similar