Personality Assessments

When discussing the accuracy of personality tests, there is no test, which will provide perfect precision. According to Dr. O'Neil, “an individual's personality is the complex of mental characteristics that makes them unique from other people” (2006, Para 1). O’Neil believes that the potential factors involved in shaping personality include values, beliefs, and expectations that are genetic and environmental (O’Neil, 2006).

This paper introduces the overview of personality assessment approaches in use currently in society. It proceeds to review the big five personality measures, its validity in prediction of personality types (Archer, 2011). The topic on MIPS questionnaires use in personality measurements and scoring methods used by the system is reviewed. Aspects on the social desirability trait and the distortion produced in responses to evaluation questionnaires, being a significant part of the problems in personality assessment is examined. Social desirability does not have an influence on the predictive validity of personality assessments. It is not related to performance in the job. Various strategies used for reduction of social desirability have been studied. The various tools used in assessments are recapitulated including some methodological aspects (Weiner, 2009). Cultural aspects in evaluation of personality discussed are touched upon. Two case studies are used to show the real life situation of personality assessment.

Bornstein, R. F. (2007). Toward a process-based framework for classifying personality tests [Peer comments on the journal article “Advancing personality assessment terminology: time to retire ”objective“ and ”projective“ as personality test descriptors” by G. J. Meyer, & J. E. Kurtz. Journal of personality assessment, 2 (89), 202-207.

When reading the assignment about taking a personality test, in my mind I quickly equated this to adolescent quizzes and tests I took for fun when I was a teenager. Thinking whatever the outcome is will not truly align itself to who I am as a person however, I was mistaken. After taking the quiz and reading Type Talk at Work, I thought maybe a credited quiz such as Jung Typology knows more about me than I thought. In participating in such a quiz, I went from being

Therefore, I expected the results would be at least not greatly deviating from the ISTJ that I have learned about myself. Being rather determined about rights and wrongs, I was often told that I give the first impression of being “aloof and perhaps somewhat cold” (ISTJ, 2016). I agree with many of the characteristics given in personality tests, but some portion of the information in such assessments with explanation can be left to a chance. In this respect, I would not advise using personality tests for hiring purposes, because a person considered creative and easygoing, such as extraverted types, might appear too emotional and lacking the sense of hierarchy. Primarily, the test can be used to facilitate further development of the team member in a new place and evaluate the potential for assignment or promotion, using both self-report personality inventories and projective tests to ensure conscious and unconscious aspects of personality are

Predictive ability of interest entails the utilization of the personality assessment results in real life situation such as to select people that may be needed in particular activities such as employment. Dissenting argument have been advanced based on the influence of personality on job performance as employers look for specific personalities with others holding onto the study outcomes based on personality scores that attach no sense on job skills. However, every firm employs the predictive ability of personality in hiring. The predictive accuracy is only a teensy-weensy attached to personality test in hiring that is only based on the direct linkage of those test to practical job performance. Personality scores may not reveal the skills required for the job performance therefore skills becomes

For psychologists, one of the more popular theories espoused is the trait approach to personality, or “the idea that people have consistent personality characteristics that can be measured and studied” (Kalat, 2002, 512). However there are several problems that arise. First, there are significant cross-cultural differences, so one set of personality traits for one culture may differ considerably for another. The next problem would concern the creation of a test that could accurately measure these traits. While psychologists have for the most part addressed these issues, I will focus on the latter of the two. There has been a

Other valuable uses include vetting of new partners, diagnosing sources of conflict, matching personality to particular tasks or initiatives while also taking the guesswork out of the hiring process (Neville, 2013). Current thinking in personality assessments converges on the idea that most personality characteristics reflect the five broad characteristics of the Five Factor Model – extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness (The Science of Personality, 2015). Personality tests are typically less likely to differ in results by gender and race than other tests, can be administered via paper and pencil or computerized methods to large groups easily, cost effectively and do not necessarily require skilled administrators (SIOP). In 2012 thirty-five percent of Human Resources around the world reported that they use “personality inventories” (Gray, 2015).

Personality assessments are a tool used frequently in organizations. However, the phenomena of faking on personality assessments is a relevant concern in the selection process.

After taking the Individual Personality Assessment my personality trait came back as ESFJ (Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging). ESJFs are social, structured and very assertive. Most ESJFs enjoy being around a crowd of people without feeling anxious or overwhelmed. ESFJ are very structured when it comes to following plans, events and things of that nature.

Companies have started to use personality tests in the past five years so that they can find a potential employee’s strengths and weaknesses. If questions and answers are quite accurate and test is done properly it can help an employer to find more about person’s advantages and disadvantages. It is very important to know because one of the most important points is that most of personality tests help to recognize unqualified candidates. “Although experts warn that many personality assessments don't deliver what they promise, legitimate scientifically validated tests are helping employers evaluate job candidates to select those best suited for particular positions. Other tests are designed to measure intelligence, honesty, management aptitude and other qualities.”

Previous studies on personality-job performance relationship can be divided into two core phases. The first phase covers the period of 1990s to 1980s. The main inference from the studies of this era, is that personality does not have any effect on job performance. The second phase is defined by the research done since the 1980s. Scholarly work from this period indicates that the previous studies have been flawed for a number of reasons, and that the more agreed upon conclusion is that there is in fact correlation between the five personality characteristics and job performance. Job performance is typically evaluated based on how well the designated tasks are performed, the initiative taken by employees and resourcefulness shown by personnel in tackling problems. It’s agreed most universally across studies and across cultures that two of the five factors, conscientiousness and emotional stability, are reliable predictors in practically all occupations. The other three dimensions, including extraversion, have shown low correlation to job performance and produced mixed results (Barrick et al., 2001).

So to understand the purpose of a personality test is a tool that is used to describe the personality of a person at any given moment or day Therefore when discussing ourselves or even others we refer to that persons personality characteristics. In the field of psychology a person(s) his or her personality can be assessed with help of a personality test. To consider my own field of career with clients with a diagnosed mental illness these personality tests can be used to evaluate changes in personality as well to evaluate the success of a therapy.

For example, Hogan (1986) designed up six measurements (Ambition, Likability, inelegance, Sociability, Ambition, and Adjustment). On the factors for the five measurements, he divided the extraversion into Ambition and Sociability. During the last several years before 90's, personnel researchers were learning the relationship between personality job performance. Most scientists got a common perspective that personality actions did not reveal adequate predictive credibility to approve their use in personnel selection. The progression for multifarious meta-analytic studies of personality and job performance interaction has mostly relied on an effective evaluation of the available research and accomplished a negative summary across his qualitative evaluation of the personality examining literary works, verified that little proof can be used to review the credibility of personality measures in personnel selection. Guion and Gottier(1965) stated that the advancement for multifarious meta-analytic researches of personality-job performance relations has mostly depended on an efficacious review of the accessible study and attained a pessimistic conclusion across his qualitative review of the personality testing literature, confirmed that little evidence can be used to summarize the validity of personality measures in personnel selection. However, with the distinction in methodological in meta-analysis and the growth of taxonomy of personality

When it comes to objective tests, it is implied that they are accurate, precise, and resistant to biased influences. Scoring errors are another potential concern. In reviewing the projective test, it is determined by Meyer and Kurtz (2006) that one‘s personality will not shine through with force and clarity regardless of the medium, the presence of the client’s responses confuses the efforts to interpret the test scores, and that is what the psychologists are most interested in interpreting (Meyer & Kurtz, 2006)