Research methodologies and personality - Essay Example

Personality Questions Personality is a concept that most people could recognize but the term still lacks a consistent definition. The general consensus appears to favor the identification of behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes as factors that can be observed as components of personality. Long-term consistency has also been discussed as a potential characteristic of personality (Ryckman, 2013), but it is often demonstrated that apparent personality does not always accurately predict behaviors or other related factors.

This variability is due to the role of both biological and environmental factors in the manifestation of personality on a case to case basis. Genetic expressions, neurotransmitter systems, biological health, and psychological state are just a few examples of the bodily systems that are continually altered by both internal and external forces but are believed to significantly impact the development and expression of personality traits. Also, even if personality is consistent the above factors may lead to the presentation of unexpected actions in a given situation.2. The most valuable research methods in the study of personality are those that utilize an experimental structure.

This is the only approach that can be used to examine causal effects with rigorous scientific scrutiny (Ryckman, 2013). Experiments are necessarily designed to eliminate potentially confounding variables that could otherwise make it impossible to judge the impact of an independent variable on a dependent variable. Correlational methods are also scientific but they can only be used to evaluate the strength of a relationship and not the direction. When the existence or magnitude of an association is the primary concern then the correlational design may be desirable in place of or alongside an experimental approach.

Both experiments and correlations are preferable to other designs because they are developed and reviewed with standards that rely on the demonstration of scientific validity.ReferenceRyckman, R. M. (2013). Theories of personality (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.