Personality Assessment Instruments - Essay Example

Personality Assessment Instruments Task Personality assessment involves measuring people’s personal traits. Performing an assessment on people occurs as an outcome of the collection of information that is intended for advancing theories in psychology. Personality assessments are also used to augment the probabilities that knowledgeable decisions will be carried out in the selection of the most appropriate samples. For example, information can be collected about several applicants for a certain job position and the best decisions will be made on it when making your selections among these candidates. The field adopts the approach that behaviors vary due to the different underlying traits that various people possess (Gorsuch, 2007). There are also several types of tools, which are used for performing personal assessments and they range from the sixteen personality factor questionnaires, self-help books and tests for thematic apperception. The purpose of this paper is to contrast the strengths and weaknesses of the above three instruments with a view of examining their validity, understandability, cultural utility and validity. This paper will try to establish whether the three forms of instruments are relevant across different cultures and how accurate and useful their results are in the evaluation of peoples personalities. 1. Tests for Thematic Apperception Validity This test is performed in the field of projective psychology. It is the most extensively researched and taught tests in this field and among other similar tests. The users of these tests suggest that it is used in tapping the unconscious mind of a subject with the purpose of revealing any repressions they may be having (Cramer, 2004). These repressions could be affecting their personalities, motives, their problem-solving ability and their need for achieving, power along with confidence. This instrument provides the researcher with various traits of its users and it has been vital in the field of psychology in bringing out their concealed characteristics. Comprehensiveness This test is quite understandable among its users because it involves the use of pictures. It is actually known as the technique of picture interpretation (Cramer, 2004). This is because it utilizes a customary series of provoking and vague pictures about a story being told by a subject. A subject on whom the test is being conducted is required to give his story for every picture revealed on various issues concerning it. These issues range from what he thinks caused the event in the picture, what he or she thinks is currently happening and what he or she thinks the persons in these pictures are feeling or thinking about. They are also interrogated on what they think the outcomes of the events in the pictures will be. In case the test is carried out among children or a person with a low cognitive ability and he omits any of the above requirements, then the person carrying out this test should question the subject directly to get their opinions. In theory, the test is comprehensible to the reader and the researcher since it covers the issues that directly affect them (Cramer, 2004). The test has been successful in bringing out these traits since its inception. Applicability The development of this testing method was introduced by American psychologists for the purposes of exploring the dynamics of people’s personalities. These included issues such as individual internal quarrels, the principal drives within us, our interests along with our motives (Cramer, 2004). This method was later on adopted by psychoanalysts and other clinicians for the purposes of evaluating their patients who were emotionally disturbed. Later on during the 1970’s, the test was adopted by psychologists for the purposes of helping patients and clients to comprehend themselves in a better way while at the same time stimulating their personal growths. This test is widely used by psychologists in uncovering people’s hidden needs, attitudes along with our reaction patterns. This theory is applicable to a person’s career and life since it helps in disclosing disorders in their personality. It could be of great importance to managers who are monitoring their employees’ behaviors and attitudes with an aim of improving their productivity. Cultural Utility This type of testing method has been and is still in use across many cultures. The test has been used in France and Argentina using approaches in psychodynamics. The army in Israeli has also used this type of test for carrying out evaluations on officers who have the potential of working for their army. These tests are also applicable in the culture of pop where various books have given descriptions of such tests that are being carried out. 2. Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire 3. Validity This questionnaire involves the utilization of multiple choices for the purposes of discovering and measuring the fundamental characteristics of a man’s personality. It is used in measuring the primary characteristics, which add up to sixteen along with other traits, which are secondary (Cattell, & Schuerger, 2003). The developer of this questionnaire who was known as Raymond Catell suggested that a man’s personality is hierarchical and multi-level. He also said that it contained primary and secondary traits, which were interdependent. These sixteen factors summarized hundreds of behaviors for purposes of analyzing the characteristics driving them. The other five traits came because of the analysis of the sixteen traits for finding out what was driving the sixteen traits (Cattell, & Schuerger, 2003). The sixteen traits are used for giving a picture that depicts the uniqueness and richness of each personality. On the other hand, the five characteristics provide an outline of peoples personalities at broader conceptual levels (Gorsuch, 2007). The questionnaire is important in the measurement of a person’s character and the determination of their characteristics with an aim of improving them. Comprehensiveness The multiple choices used are simple, and the use of language is non-threatening. It has questions that are used for inquiring about a person’s behavior on a daily basis, their interests and opinions on various issues that affect them (Gorsuch, 2007). These questions are used for determining the personality of individuals by accessing their various characteristics through various routine questions (Cattell, & Schuerger, 2003). Therefore, it is understandable among various people since it helps in assessment of their characteristics. Most of the questions under the test are based on behaviors that people display when faced by actual situations. The tests administration takes a few minutes, which are normally ten to fifteen and has been translated into very many languages along with dialects. This has made the tests become widely used in many countries across the globe. The tests can also be scored using scoring keys, mailing through computer scores and using faxes to answer the questions. Applicability This test was mainly applied in the measurement of characteristics that are preconceived and could be of particular interests to theorists along with researchers. The applicable traits are vital in obtaining an abstract and a theoretical comprehending of the domains that govern peoples personalities (Cattell, & Schuerger, 2003). They also help in comprehending the different characteristics, their interrelations to each other along with how their diverse findings relate to one another. The five big characteristics are vital in comprehending and the interpretation of a person’s personality report. The sixteen traits on the other hand are useful in the determination of an individual’s unique traits. Finally, the other five characteristics are useful in giving a broad summary of an individuals’ personality at the high levels of an organization of personalities. The characteristics are extremely important in comprehending the complex daily behaviors that we have. The test is very applicable in evaluating individual attitudes, values along with beliefs at the workplace. Its results enable the managements of various companies to know how they are to make improvements on their services and products. Such a move enables them to enhance their productivity. Cultural Utility The questionnaire has been translated into several languages along with dialects, and the scores for the test are based upon local, international and national samples (Cattell, & Schuerger, 2003). These tests have been culturally tailored with an additional standardization illustrations that enhance the reliability and legitimacy of the information collected. Finally, it enables the presentation of this information in various manuals, which can be used across many diverse cultures. 3. Self-Help Books Validity Normally, these books are written by authors who have various instructions on the individual and private problems that a person encounters. They have become a phenomenon that greatly assists others in their growth strategies. These books usually focus on psychology and human behaviors, which greatly help individuals in controlling their efforts (Micki, 2005). They were originally developed during the ancient times for the purposes of guiding the behaviors of individuals found within their societies. In the western part of the world, self-help books can be traced back into the renaissance period and into the following generations. The use of these books has moved from being a recess to a phenomenon in the twentieth century. This start of using the self-help groups came about with the insistence on the improvement of individual personalities. The books are important in delivering beneficial information to the readers who are encountering problems. They also serve as directors of peoples personalities, which are driven by our attitudes along with values (Micki, 2005). Comprehensiveness These books are only understandable by people who have the ability of understanding the languages that a self-help book has been written in. They seek to improve an individual’s behavior though some of them may be misinterpreted to give the wrong impression to an individual. It is quite hard to get a perspective that fits the actual nature of problems people are encountering. Some help books may also lack the objectivity and views to make accurate decisions concerning a situation that one is experiencing. The books on self-help have the disadvantage that they may lack enough information that will enable an individual in making appropriate decisions. The readers understanding of a self-help book may also be different from the actions he or she had anticipated carrying out (Micki, 2005). This implies that an individual might not have the motivation required when implementing the suggestions from the books at their disposal. In case an individual does not also comprehend the contents of the book properly, then he or she has to contact a professional who will assist him. This implies that the reader will have to bear additional costs and efforts when searching for favorable solutions to their problems. Positive statements that are contained in the self-help journals might make people who have low esteems feel bad about themselves. Applicability These books are used by readers who have been encountering problems with their personalities. They are used as a base for improvement by the reader, and they cover many issues that affect their personalities. They have been widely utilized in the emotional and educational fields among other fields. In the older times, the books were utilized for the purposes of developing concepts about diseases that affected a community. They were important for distributing information on various ailments to the members of a community. At the same time, they offer advice on how to curb and prevent them from spreading. They also happen to be of great assistance to groups of people who require information that can only be achieved from professionals (Micki, 2005). Cultural Utility The books on self-help have been written in various in various languages, and they do assist the wide variety of readers available to get the required information. This is despite their use of different languages in communicating. These books are also vital since they help readers with vital information concerning various issues that affect their personalities. Finally, the books greatly assist its readers in interrelating with other people in different areas on the problems they encounter in their everyday lives. They help in availing solutions that have already been tested to their readers (Micki, 2005). References Cattell, H.E. & Schuerger, J.M. (2003). Essentials of the 16PF. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Cramer, P. (2004). Storytelling, Narrative, And The Thematic Apperception Test. New York: Guilford Press. Gorsuch, R.L. (2007). The 16pf Express. Illinois: Institute for Personality and Ability Testing. Micki, M. (2005). Self-Help, Makeover Culture in American Life. London: Oxford University Press. Read More