Question

What are the strengths and weaknesses of an objective approach to personaity assessment, and how are they different from those of a subjective approach?

Answer 1

Personality is defined as the differences in individual characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Our personalities are determinants as to how we interact with the world.

Personality traits are stable and long lasting behaviours and feelings.
Personality states are temporary and dependent on that particular situation.

Objective Personality Tests: The objective personality tests are self reported tests high measure various dimensions of personality. These personality tests are standardised and measures.

Objective Tests Include:

The NEO Personality Inventory: Consists of five basic personality traits:

i. Openness to experience, ii. conscientiousness, iii.agreeableness iv. extraversion, v. neuroticism

16 personality factors test

Raymond B Cattell through factor analysis, came up with with sixteen personality traits, which make up an individuals personality.

MMPI and MMPI -2

The MMPI tests is used to help in diagnosis of psychological disorders and has fourteen sub-scales. The cores on various sub-scales are taken and interpretation of ones personality or psychological disorders could be done.

Projective Tests

The projective tests are tests in which subjects respond to ambiguous stimuli. The projective tests are used to measure the unconscious part of the person. It is understood that these ambiguous stimuli are interpreted by clients which reveal their inner conflicts and desire.

The Rorschach ink blot test and thematic apperception test are examples of projective.

Advantages

• The objective personality test is better than the protective test as the objective tests are standardised and yield accurate results which are easy to interpret and are also less time consuming.
• The objective tests measure accurately a particular dimension of personality, and shows exactly the constitution of a persons personality.
• The objective tests are not effecting by bias of the experimenter and the subjects. with regards to protective tests, the major problem lies in the fact that reliability and validity is questionable in these kinds of tests.

Disadvantages

• As objective personality tests are self report tests, it may often yield dishonest and random answers.
• In objective tests, the participants may have many reservation and hesitation in answering the question as the questions are direct.
• There are many aspects of personality which need open ended rather than close ended questions in order to know about ones personality.