Personality Tests for Business Organizations

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.

Psychometrics came as a consequence from the theories in psychology which tried to find out if there was a way to measure a person’s intelligence.The first types of the psychometric tests were developed by Sir Francis Galton in the late 1800’s, and were later modified by psychometricians James McKeen Cattell and Charles Spearman. Today, psychometric tests are usually used by employers in recruitment and selection process in order to measure the abilities of a potential employee in specific skills such as: intelligence, critical reasoning, motivation and personality profile. Psychometric tests play an important role in selection practice: 70 percent of firms use them (Sackleton and Newell, 1991). The fundamental assumption of psychometrics is that people differ from each other, for instance in terms of their friendliness, their ability to use mathematics, or their motivation to gain success could be different and these differences can be measured. A definition offered for a psychometric test is “an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behaviour” (Anastasi, 1990)

The first section of this paper details the elements that a personality type assessment typically measures. The second section contains discussion on the personality type assessment of the author of this paper. In the third and last section, the author shares how his personal assessment outcomes could affect his work relationships with his colleagues.

Recruitment and selection tests “aim to provide a potential employer with an insight into how well you work with other people, how well you handle stress, and whether you will be able to cope with the intellectual demands of the job” (Psychometric Success, 2013). These tests are split into personality tests and aptitude/ability test. LL would benefit from personality tests for all employees to ensure

An individual’s personality is measured with a personality assessment instrument that encompasses theories and technique. Traditionally psychoanalytical theories provided an outline for accepting behavior that was abnormal and perceptions that prophesized the outcome for prospect behavior. Since projecting personality trait occurs, career counselors, and organizations utilize personality assessment instruments for screening potential employees for qualification. Additionally, personality assessment instruments are used in detecting personality disorders and abnormal behaviors. This

Allport defines personality as ‘the dynamic organisation within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment’ (Allport, 1937). An individual’s unique personality traits and attributes are a powerful indicator of how he/she will interact with the work environment. The difference between average and outstanding employees can often be solely personality related. As the employee is the most valuable asset to the company, ‘selecting the right employee during the process is critical’ (Carbery and Cross, 2013, pp. 41-53)

Other team provided solid arguments and evidence to support the “Con” point of view of the personality tests. They argued that Myers Briggs test was not designed for hiring at all. Mainly it was designed for training and development of the work teams. Even our text says that Myer’s Briggs should not be used as the selection tool for hiring. They also made a solid point by mentioning that tests can be taken advantage of. It can be adjusted to the desired results or faked.

Research regarding faking on personality assessments have revealing that faking and the distortion of responses does occur. In addition, research has been conducted to determine how to detect when faking occurs on a personality assessment. Furthermore, research has been conducted showing the individual characteristics does influence a respondents conscious decision to distort response on assessments. However, there is a lack of research that focuses on various individual, situational, and motivational characteristics and how they impact an individuals tendency to fake. Studies involving the Mixed Mode Item Response Theory (MM-IRT) and the interactional model of response distortion will be examined and discussed in relation to similar studies. This study further seeks to determine if a variation and correlation exists between individual differences and faking on personality assessments. It is hypothesized that a significant variance between groups will be identified, and that individual differences do have an impact on faking in respondents. In order to make personnel professionals and organizational leaders more aware of the faking phenomenon, how to identify it, and what causes it, research needs to continue surrounding this topic.

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.”

The usefulness of personality tests has been debated in the past. In particular, the Rorschach test has been questioned as to whether it is really a test, or rather a method of information gathering to learn more about an individual (Trull, p. 241). When considering a test, information is gathered and measured in some

Personality has been inherently defined as possession of a particular set of characteristics possessed by people which influences their behaviour and reactions in different situation along with their motivation level to react to difficulties at the workplace. However, understanding personality traits and their development has been a contentious matter. Nonetheless, various theories have been forwarded to rather contribute to this contentious debate. For example employers set goals and encourage involvement with the company to have a better employee performance, which would result in higher motivation level subsequently leading to increased efficiency. Studies regarding the relationship between personality traits of a particular employee

Designed in the 1940s by American author Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katharine Cook Briggs, this objective test attempts to determine a person’s personality type. It can commonly be applied to career one has chosen of will choose. There seems to be reasonable correlation between the indicator results, shown by a four-letter combination, and the career types people of that type choose. Due to it’s wide use in career counseling and business, the Consulting Psychologists

Personality assessment and awareness can have a profound effect on organizational behavior. Employee motivation, attitude and job/employee satisfaction are areas that organizations must effectively manage and control, to grow and be effective. Employees also have a responsibility to themselves and the organization, to understand their personality, needs, strengths, and shortcomings. If this happens, employees can bring quality contributions to the organization and positively affect personal, group and workplace behavior.