3. Personality Tests

1. Trait Theory and Personality Tests

Trait theory focuses on individual characteristics, and focuses less on the "Why" of behaviour.  In this section we will look at the types of traits and and the ways they are assessed.

 Personality has been assessed in many different ways.  Observations, surveys, pencil and paper tests, and projective tests.  Today, you can take  a number of personality tests online.  We will look at some of these, and then compare them.

2. The MMPI Personality Inventory

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is one of the most important tools to assess personality.  This assessment of personality was not aligned with any theory or psychological approach.  In its first version in 1939,  clients answers to questions were compared to a set of acceptable answers from test groups' responses.

It was criticized for not having large enough or random enough samples of people to compare with.  The test subjects were all white, married and middle class.  The next version included a larger and more random population sample.  The inventory has gone through many reincarnations, including tests for adolescents.  The test questions attempt to minimize false, incorrect or inconsistant answers.

These are some of the items that are assessed by the analysis of the questions.

*This type of test must be administered by a professional psychologist.*

3. Projective tests -Rorschach Inkblot Test

Tests like the MMPI and other question and answer type tests ask people to answer questions about what they think is true of themselves or what they are consciously aware of.

Other psychologists felt that so much of our personality was controlled by unconscious things.  Projective tests are used to try to get at one's unconscious thoughts and feelings. In these types of tests a client is shown various images  and asked to freely respond with whatever comes to their mind. 

One of these tests is the well known  Rorschach Inkblot Test.  It was developed by the Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922). The Rorschach Inkblot Test is a projective measure of personality in which the respondent indicates his or her thoughts about a series of ten symmetrical inkblots.

Hermann Rorschach 1910 Wikipedia

Although you can find these inkblots and the supposed meanings of your responses on the internet and in books, these types of tests were always meant to be administered by a psychologist. 

4. Inkblot Assignment

Click the following link for the BBC news article on Ink blot.  What do you think about the controversy?

Copy and paste the following questions along with your answers into a Word document and label it U2L3Inblot_surname

Submit to the following Assignment Folder  - U2L3 Inkblot 

After reading the article.   Using complete sentences, thoroughly discuss these topics:

1. Describe the Ink blot test. (5 marks)

2. Who invented it and for what purpose? (5 marks)

3. Identify and explain the criticisms of this test. (5 marks)

4.State your opinion of the validity (that it measures what is is supposed to measure) of this test, and how it can be useful. (10 marks)

25 marks  

5. Jung / Briggs Meyers Type Tests

After studying Carl Jung's ideas of personality, mother and daughter team Katherine Briggs and Isabel Meyers became interested in personality types. Their work led to the MBTI ( Meyers Briggs Personality Inventory) which was a way to classify and explain personality behaviours according to type. Visit the Meyers Briggs website to study this further. 

Although official tests of this type must be done with a licensed psychologist, there are many online types that are similar. 

Click on the following Personality Explained link to take an online version of this test.  

Take a SCREEN SHOT of your results to use in your Personltiy Test Infographic project . Clearly indicate the website url for all tests shown on your infographic.

6. The Big Five Personality Test - OCEAN

The Big Five Trait Theory and corresponding personality test came about in response to the problem of having too many traits to identify. Such was the case with Catell and Meyers/ Briggs tests.  

These are the traits in the popular big five test.  The Five Traits can be remembered using the acronym OCEAN.

Read through the information and take the Big Five Personality Test to compare with the other tests you have taken.  When you come to the result of your test, take a screen shot to add to your personality test assignment-  Personality Test Infographic Project.  

NOTE:  To take a screen shot on a mac, press shift command 4.  On a PC, hold the Alt key down while pressing Print Screen to capture only the active window. 

7. Infographic Assignment

Click here for detailed instructions on How to Create an Infographic  for your Personality Test project

Once completed, label your assignment U2L3infographic_surname and submit to the assignment folder - U2L3 Personality Infographic

All the infographic projects should follow these guidelines:

• Include relevant images or other topic related visuals and references for websites.

• Include your personal opinions and concise explanations about your topic.

• Try to use a template or a large document - such as a poster for your ONE page presentation.

• Show the information in a visual way and maximize your page space with lots of images and information.

• Avoid huge paragraph explanations. Simplify and use picture arrows and

  shapes to help your audience better understand your topic.  (think of them as a digital poster showing what you know and think!)

All the infographic projects should be submitted as a PDF so that they do not lose formatting ( up to half of your marks are related to the "look" and design of your infographic!)  An .rtf file does not contain any graphics, so make sure you save it as a PDF.

If you are creating your assignment in the google drive, save it as a PDF by following these instructions:  Converting a google doc to a PDF.  Submit the PDF file in the assignment folder. 

Watch these short videos to learn how to save as a pdf if you don't know how. Keep in mind that although the procedure will be similar, it often looks sightly different depending on what program and what operating system your computer is using.  Ask your supervisor for help if you are still having trouble.

How to save Word as a pdf...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/x99zwqxV1JM?rel=0

How to save Pages as a pdf...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUIHrUgE8jE?rel=0

8. Infographic Project - student examples

Example 2...