PSPE3724-TUTOR
ACTIVITY 3
Personality assessment
SokhayaL@[Link]
mofokengnc1@[Link]
mashambatm@[Link]
Personality assessment
◦ Provide a comprehensive background and discussion of personality tests.
◦ Comprehensively discuss structured approaches to personality testing.
◦ Comprehensively discuss projective approaches to personality testing.
◦ Discuss cross-cultural perspectives and issues in personality testing.
◦ Discuss the issues related to personality assessment.
Assessment Reminder!!!
Question 3
Summarize all the projective approaches to personality assessment. [13 marks]
How would you formulate and introduction to your question? [1 mark] (Remember an introduction
has background information and a roadmap).
Possible answer:
Just as there are numerous personality assessment approaches, projective techniques are also
unique assessments used to assess an individual’s personality. I will discuss the projective
approaches to personality assessments. ✔ (1)
NB! Notice how the introduction is sweet and short. The roadmap tells us exactly what is
going to be discussed in the essay.
Points relevant for the body
Main characteristics of projective tests:
• Projective approaches provides ambiguous stimuli. ✔ This ambiguous stimulus evokes different
responses from different people and can be influenced by inter alia, past or recent experiences. ✔
Therefore, it is important to note that responses provide opportunities for hypothesis generation,
rather than providing definite conclusions about personal motives and goals ✔.
The three types of tests found under projective approaches:
◦ the Rorschach Inkblot test, thematic apperception test and the children’s apperception test. ✔
DISCUSS the Rorschach Inkblot test and the thematic apperception test
◦ Rorschach inkblot test: Used more extensively in clinical settings for diagnostic purposes. ✔ Has
been criticised a number of times where it is said to lack standardisation, of the administering,
scoring and interpretation of the RIM ✔. Questions concerning the validity and reliability of RIMS
persists . Therefore, in order to get valid and reliable results, more extensive and in-depth training
is needed. ✔
Body Cont’d
◦ Thematic apperception test: The main goal of TAT is to measure individual’s needs by
presenting test takers with a set of ambiguous picture cards ✔. Challenges? The content of the
stimulus pictures. TAT pictures are rooted in western symbolism context. ✔
CONTROVERSY AROUND PROJECTIVE TEST TECHNIQUES?
◦ The projective techniques are sufficiently scientific, meet psychometric standards and provide
consistent results✔
Nonetheless, as has been noted above, the Rorschach and TAT continue to be used in clinical
settings in particular around the world and in South Africa ✔
CONCLUSION (1 MARK)
How would you conclude this essay?
Possible answer:
Projective tests are tools for assessing personality by eliciting unconscious responses to images,
aiming to provide an accurate portrayal of one's personality. Therefore, TAT and Rorschach are
the most commonly used projective tests despite the challenges they have. ✔
Now you can combine the information into a full essay.
Question 5
As an aspirant Psychometry student, your application to study the
[Link] equivalence requires you to write an essay on psychological
assessment. You choose to write about the issues related to personality
assessment. [25 Marks]
Question 5
As an aspirant Psychometry student, your application to study the [Link]
equivalence requires you to write an essay on psychological assessment.
You choose to write about the issues related to personality assessment.
Do not let the part highlighted in yellow confuse you. You can, however, use it to formulate
the introduction! It gives you a bit of context and background to the main question (which is
highlighted in green).
Lets break it down!!!!
How would you formulate and introduction to your question? [2 mark] (Remember an introduction has background information
and a roadmap).
Possible answer:
Introduction
Thank you for considering my application to the [Link] equivalence programme for student psychometrists. As part of my application, I
intend to explore the topic of psychological assessment, specifically focusing on issues related to personality assessment . ✔ This essay will
address several key issues within psychological assessment, including: restrictions placed on who can perform personality assessment, the
limitations of self-report structured personality tests, validity and reliability issues, paper-based versus computer-based personality testing,
approaches to interpreting and integrating personality assessment information and the use and challenges of personality testing in personnel
selection. ✔ (2)
NB! Notice how the introduction is sweet and short. The roadmap tells us exactly what is going to be discussed in the
essay.
What points of discussion are relevant for
this essay?
Important points to discuss:
Restrictions placed on who can perform personality assessment
Limitations of self-report structured personality tests
Validity and reliability issues
Paper-based versus computer-based personality testing
Approaches to interpreting and integrating personality assessment
information
The use and challenges of personality testing in personnel selection.
Restrictions placed on who can perform personality assessment
◦ The first issue concerns the restrictions placed on who can conduct personality assessments,
given the various registration categories within psychology. ✔Out of the 9 registration
categories, only 6 allow for their comprehensive use, with psychometrists limited to
developmental screening rather than diagnostic purposes.✔ In psychological assessment, a certain
depth of knowledge about psychology, theories and constructs such as intelligence, personality and so
on, is needed along with applied assessment competencies to use tests ethically, know which
psychological tests to use in which contexts interpret the findings and reach informed decisions
(conclusions). ✔ There is thus little doubt that psychological assessment needs to be performed by
appropriately trained and registered psychology professionals. ✔ (4)
Remember to include what is the issue
and how it can be solved.
Limitations of self-report structured personality tests
Issue: The second issue relates to the limitations of self-report structured personality tests which refers
to the response bias related to these types of measures. ✔ But the validity of these measures are
questioned due to test takers not completing measures objectively and them not being truthful in their
answers. ✔Therefore response bias becomes a prevalent issue in many formats as people tend to
respond in a fixed manner which presents the results in a skewed manner. ✔
Solution: Response bias could however be curbed by lie scales and negative scoring. ✔(4)
Paper-based versus computer-based personality testing
Issue: Paper-based versus computer-based personality testing is the next issue in personality
assessment because paper-based tests are standardised, and computer-based test are less
regulated. ✔ Computer-based testing is more convenient especially in the workplace but the
question arises whether the paper and computer-based are equivalent. ✔
Solution: There needs to be manuals and guidelines made available so it can be ensured that
interpretation and reporting of computer-based measures are more standardised. ✔(3)
Approaches to interpreting and integrating personality assessment information
Issue: The fifth issue is approaches to interpreting and integrating personality assessment
information which refers information is interpreted and reported. ✔ The interpretation and
integration of information can be difficult, especially when there is conflicting or contradictory.
Solution: Discussion of the approaches; mechanical approach(results are interpreted as a statistic
and could include plotting a profile of performants on a test)or across measure), ✔ non- mechanical
approach(test scores and other information are contextualised to form an impression of the client)
✔and behavioural cluster-analysis approach (To identify congruent patterns of behaviour linked to
personality make-up or job competency profile. ✔ (4)
The use and challenges of personality testing in personnel selection.
Issue: The last issue is the use of personality assessment in personnel selection.
The Employment Equity Act notes that psychological assessment may not be used to
discriminate against applicants.✔ Thus personality assessments cannot be used to
eliminate potential applicants or eliminate employees for promotions. ✔
Solution: What however is encouraging is that assessments are being adapted so
they can be used without discriminatory usage. ✔ We need to research the value-add
of using personality tests for personnel selection ✔, investigate test bias of these
personality tests✔ and ensure that the psychometric properties are sound for both
context and group for which they will be used. ✔
How would you conclude your essay? [2 mark]
(In the conclusion you can remind a reader of a main point, show why your
argument matters, wrap everything up by tying it all together or leave your reader
with something to think about.
Possible answer:
It is thus, evident that there are many challenges within psychological assessment,
particularly in personality assessment. Despite these challenges, I remain
committed to pursuing a career as a student psychometrist. The ethical use of
psychological assessments in personality assessment offers substantial benefits that
outweigh the difficulties encountered.
Now you can combine the information into a full essay. Introduction, Body and
conclusion, in paragraphs. No points or bullets allowed!