Deck 13: Personality Assessment Methods

Question 1

Projective instruments were originally developed in a spirit of rebellion against norm-referenced instruments.Today,projective instruments are

A) more rebellious than ever given their continued independence from norms.
B) increasingly developed or converted to be norm-referenced in nature.
C) rebelling yet again, this time from the constraints of cultural sensitivity.
D) None of these

Answer 1

B

Question 2

In this test,the testtaker's task is filling-in what the people in a cartoon-like stimulus might be saying or thinking.

A) The Children's Apperception Test-Human
B) The Roberts Apperception Test for Children
C) The Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study
D) None of these

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In administering the Rorschach,the term inquiry BEST refers to

A) all questions asked by the examiner.
B) the investigative process of the examiner.
C) the process of re-administering the cards.
D) the process of asking and then re-raising questions.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which test does NOT belong because it is a different type of test?

A) The Kent-Rosanoff Free Association Test
B) The Blacky Pictures Test
C) TEMAS
D) The School Apperception Method

Question 5

Hermann Rorschach developed a test he called

A) the Rorschach Inkblot Test.
B) the Object Discrimination Exercise.
C) the Form Interpretation Test.
D) Psychodiagnostics.

Question 6

Each item of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank is scored on a 7-point scale with points ranging from

A) "typical" to "atypical."
B) "in harmony with the world" to "danger to oneself and others."
C) "need for therapy" to "extremely good adjustment."
D) None of these

Question 7

Scott Lilienfeld and Bernard Murstein

A) have both argued in favor of projective techniques.
B) have both written critiques of projective techniques.
C) are on opposing sides when it comes to projective techniques.
D) were consultants in the development of the Szondi Pictures Test.

Question 8

The Word Association Test was developed at the Menninger Clinic by David Rapaport and colleagues.Rapaport's inspiration for developing this test came from word association experiments initially conducted by

A) Sigmund Freud.
B) Carl Jung.
C) Karen Horney.
D) Sandor Ferenczi.

Question 9

In an effort to address longstanding criticisms related to the psychometric soundness of the Rorschach test,this person created another inkblot test.Who was he?

A) Wayne Holtzman
B) David Rapaport
C) Carl Jung
D) Hans Behn-Eschenburg

Question 10

An early projective test used what as projective stimuli?

A) clouds
B) water
C) spilled milk
D) symbols for astrological signs

Question 11

Objective tests of personality have in common with many objective tests of ability and achievement the fact that test items.

A) typically contain only one correct answer.
B) can be scored by machine, computer or online.
C) have a sound grounding in theory.
D) All of the above

Question 12

Some have said that different TAT cards have different "stimulus pulls." By this it is meant that different TAT cards have different

A) form demands.
B) latent stimulus demands.
C) variations on the same theme.
D) frequent plots.

Question 13

A 100-item true/false test of extraversion is constructed so that every True response is indicative of extraversion,and every False response is indicative of introversion.Mei Ling answers True to every item on the test.What can the test user conclude?

A) Mei Ling is extremely extraverted.
B) Mei Ling has well documented tendencies toward extraversion.
C) Mei Ling may be extraverted.
D) Mei Ling is clearly not introverted.

Question 14

In 1907,an early study using pictures as projective stimuli for storytelling found differences as a function of

A) religion
B) gender
C) age
D) race

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a category mentioned in the text by which a Rorschach response could be scored?

A) Color
B) Popularity
C) Content
D) Clarity

Question 16

With regard to scoring the TAT,

A) Most examiners use the scoring manual packaged with the test.
B) Most examiners use the scoring manual written by Christiana Morgan.
C) Most examiners use independent, online scoring services.
D) None of these

Question 17

How many TAT cards are there in the published set?

A) 18
B) 23
C) 31
D) 42

Question 18

Complete this Arthur Jensen quote: "The rate of scientific progress in clinical psychology might well be measured by the speed and thoroughness with which _____

A) it accepts tests like the Rorschach."
B) it rejects projective techniques as unreliable and invalid."
C) it gets over the Rorschach."
D) it understands the need for normative projective measures."

Question 19

As concluded in Chapter 13,the semantic distinction between objective and projective tests

A) is meaningful, especially as it relates to the content of the items.
B) should be abandoned because there is really no difference between them.
C) is only meaningful to the extent that each relies heavily on self-report.
D) has meaning insofar as the mechanisms typically used for scoring.

Question 20

According to Karen Machover's thought regarding the interpretation of findings of a Draw-a-Person test,the person drawn represents the person doing the drawing,and the paper on which it is drawn represents

A) the environment.
B) the individual's superego.
C) the individual's dreams and aspirations.
D) reality demands.

Question 21

A document filed in the US Patent Office in June,2011 claimed a patent for

A) a handheld computer that automatically recorded feeling states.
B) a biofeedback device that can induce a desired emotion.
C) a behavioral assessment device that displayed duration of unwanted thoughts.
D) a wireless penile plethysmograph.

Question 22

Projective tests are BEST characterized as _____ methods of personality assessment.

A) indirect
B) futile
C) objective
D) behavioral

Question 23

Ecological momentary assessment is essentially a behavioral record

A) of the "here and now."
B) that gauges duration.
C) that entails verbal input.
D) that is future-oriented.

Question 24

The internal consistency of TAT scores tends to be low.Proponents of the TAT respond to this criticism by noting that

A) internal consistency seldom has any bearing on validity.
B) certain combinations of components of a score may usefully predict outcomes even if those components are uncorrelated.
C) statistics have no place when it comes to clinical judgment and the use of projective instruments, in general.
D) "foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

Question 25

In recent years,projective tests have

A) increasingly been criticized for being culturally loaded.
B) increasingly become norm-referenced.
C) attempted to tap less and less unconscious content.
D) None of these

Question 26

The oracle-like,clinical orientation has been characterized as the third ear approach.According to your textbook,this orientation has been replaced by what might be termed

A) the El Greco approach.
B) the van Gogh approach.
C) the Monet approach.
D) the Pablo Picasso approach.

Question 27

Timeline-followback procedure is to ecological momentary assessment,as past is to

A) present.
B) antecedent.
C) consequence.
D) the "there and then."

Question 28

Sign is to sample,as traditional is to

A) objective.
B) projective.
C) behavioral.
D) None of these

Question 29

Controversy surrounding Exner's norms for the Comprehensive System for the Rorschach stemmed from the claim that

A) Exner took great liberties when developing the norms making their validity questionable.
B) the graduate students collecting the data were poorly trained.
C) the normative sample from Detroit was not representative.
D) the norms over-pathologized nonclinical groups.

Question 30

The development of projective tests

A) was virtually ignored by legitimate test publishers for the last 25 years.
B) represented a reaction to attempts to assess personality using normative approaches.
C) was heralded by those employing actuarial prediction as a breakthrough in assessment techniques.
D) All of these

Question 31

Projective tests

A) are direct methods of personality assessment.
B) place great verbal demands on the test-taker.
C) are relatively unstructured techniques.
D) All of these

Question 32

To what extent are traditional psychometric standards applicable to behavioral assessment? According to your textbook,

A) Cone argued that reliability and validity were both relevant.
B) Cone argued that reliability and validity were both not relevant.
C) Bellak and Hersen argued that reliability and validity were both relevant.
D) All of these

Question 33

Self-monitoring differs from self-report because in self-monitoring

A) it is up to the assessee to decide what to report.
B) behaviors are recorded at the time and place in which they occur.
C) the responses are not recorded.
D) the assessee records all the relevant behaviors but reports to the evaluator only selectively.

Question 34

Self-monitoring can be both a method of data collection and

A) a type of projective instrument.
B) an intervention itself.
C) a means of watching oneself on closed circuit television.
D) a method of increasing the generalizability of findings.

Question 35

The assumption that individuals provide structure to unstructured stimuli in a manner consistent with their individual needs,conflicts,and impulses is known as

A) the psychoanalytic concept of repression.
B) the stimulus-response hypothesis.
C) the defense mechanism of denial.
D) the projective hypothesis.

Question 36

Why did projective tests using ambiguous sounds eventually become unpopular with clinicians?

A) Advocates for the disabled argued convincingly that these tests were biased against people with disabilities.
B) The sounds were considered offensive by some cultural groups.
C) Insurance companies refused to reimburse clinicians for administering them.
D) The tests did not distinguish between clinical and nonclinical groups.

Question 37

Behavioral assessment has many advantages over other forms of assessment.Which is NOT one of those advantages?

A) Behavioral assessment can provide adequate explanations for apparently contradictory dynamics in motivation.
B) Behavioral assessment can provide behavioral baseline data.
C) Behavioral assessment can provide a record of the assessee's behavioral strengths and weaknesses across a variety of situations.
D) Behavioral assessment can be used to pinpoint environmental conditions that are acting to trigger, maintain, or extinguish certain behaviors.

Question 38

Questioning the utility of the projective/objective distinction,Weiner proposed that the dichotomy be changed to one labeled

A) personally invested versus personally distanced.
B) transparent versus obscured.
C) ambiguous versus unambiguous.
D) structured versus unstructured.

Question 39

The timeline-followback procedure is essentially a behavioral record

A) of the "here and now."
B) that gauges duration.
C) of the past.
D) that is future-oriented.

Question 40

The use of projective tests minimizes

A) an assessee's attempt to fake good or fake bad.
B) the necessity for examinees to have a working knowledge of English.
C) cross-cultural bias.
D) the need for payment by third parties such as insurers.

Question 41

Of the following projective tests,which is the MOST widely used?

A) the Draw-A-Person Test
B) the Holtzman Inkblot Test
C) the Thematic Apperception Test
D) the Rorschach Inkblot Test

Question 42

In the administration of the TAT

A) all stimulus cards are presented to all subjects.
B) a minimum of ten cards must be presented.
C) a maximum of twenty cards is presented.
D) the number of cards presented is left to examiner discretion.

Question 43

Pictures as projective stimuli

A) are considered to be the earliest form of personality assessment.
B) may be photos, paintings, drawings, or etchings.
C) must depict human beings in some situation.
D) All of these

Question 44

Word association tests such as that developed by Jung

A) are usually based on cognitive theories of personality.
B) are based on the premise that certain key words represent areas of conflict.
C) utilize only "traumatic" stimulus words, in an attempt to diagnose associative disturbances.
D) employ normative databases with samples matched to U.S. census data.

Question 45

When the Rorschach test is scored,

A) it is important to note whether the individual responds to part of the inkblot or to the entire card.
B) the content of the response is of greater diagnostic value than the location cited in forming the perception.
C) only subjective clinical judgment is utilized, since no scoring or interpretive guidelines are available.
D) the creativity of the assessee's responses will be a key determinant of the test user's vocational recommendations.

Question 46

Exner's Comprehensive System for scoring the Rorschach test

A) was the system recommended by Hermann Rorschach himself.
B) was extensively studied and found to be unreliable.
C) is the product of a joint collaboration by psychologists from around the world.
D) is an attempt to integrate the best features of the existing scoring systems.

Question 47

Exner's Comprehensive System for scoring the Rorschach test

A) results in some scoring categories that are deemed unreliable, but only because these categories are sensitive to the present state of the respondent.
B) has been found to be more reliable for research use than for use with clinical populations of multicultural origin.
C) has been heavily criticized for being standardized only on populations with psychiatric disorders that have a low prevalence.
D) was initially conceived as part of an all-consuming, "last ditch effort" to keep the Exners in-laws from having the Myers-Briggs clan as in-laws.

Question 48

The Children's Apperception Test (CAT)depicts ________ in its pictures.

A) only cats interacting with other cats
B) animals
C) humans interacting with animals
D) inanimate objects

Question 49

The Rorschach test

A) continues to be a widely used clinical tool, despite its questionable validity.
B) is taught in graduate psychology programs but is seldom used in professional practice.
C) is neither widely taught in graduate psychology programs nor widely used in professional practice.
D) ceased to be published in 2011.

Question 50

With respect to inter-scorer agreement on the Rorschach,which statement is TRUE?

A) Unacceptably low levels of inter-scorer reliability on basic scoring categories among trained scorers has been observed, even for specific scoring systems.
B) Inter-scorer reliability with respect to final interpretations made from Rorschach protocols tend to be significantly higher than inter-scorer reliabilities for individual scoring categories.
C) The highest degree of inter-scorer agreement generally occurs for the determinants of form and movement.
D) Agreement with respect to how specific responses should be scored according to a certain scoring system does not necessarily imply agreement on the interpretation of a Rorschach protocol.

Question 51

The purpose of the inquiry stage of the administration of the Rorschach test is to

A) encourage subjects to change responses that are unacceptable.
B) obtain additional information about stimuli that played a role in formulating the percept.
C) to give the examiner the opportunity for verbal interaction with the subject.
D) to provide extended time for observing the subject under the stress of having to recall initial responses.

Question 52

The earliest attempt at investigating associations subjects made to unrelated stimulus words is attributed to:

A) Kraepelin.
B) Wundt.
C) Galton.
D) Jung.

Question 53

An assumption inherent in the TAT is that assessees

A) are unaware of the significance of their responses.
B) are aware of the significance of their responses.
C) are aware of the significance of their responses and have a desire to manage a favorable impression.
D) did not watch a CSI-Miami re-run the night and are simply re-hashing the story.

Question 54

When administering the Rorschach Inkblot Test

A) an inquiry may be undertaken after the first administration in an attempt to clarify what was reported being seen.
B) spontaneous statements that the testtaker makes that are irrelevant to the card presented are not considered in the interpretation.
C) "testing the limits" and asking specific questions of the examinee may invalidate the findings.
D) care must be taken to make certain examinees blacken the grids fully, and only with #2 pencils.

Question 55

Which statement is TRUE regarding the reliability of the Rorschach test?

A) The split-half method appears to be a more feasible method for assessing reliability than test-retest procedures.
B) The Journal of Personality Assessment has published numerous studies attesting to the high split-half reliability of the Rorschach.
C) Published data demonstrate the potential reliability of Rorschach scoring but do not assure that Rorschach protocols are always reliably scored.
D) Inter-scorer reliability has been shown to be much higher among expert Rorschach users who also have access to background information on the examinee.

Question 56

Debate over the validity of the Rorschach has stemmed from inconclusive results of research examining:

A) the predictive validity of the Rorschach.
B) the effectiveness of the Rorschach in differentiating between clinical groups.
C) the interpretation of Rorschach responses.
D) All of these

Question 57

Assessing the reliability of the Rorschach using the split-half method is inappropriate because

A) there are too few inkblots to enable interpretation through the split-half method.
B) stimulus cards are presented twice and possibly three times.
C) responses by subjects may be too lengthy to adapt to split-half procedures.
D) each inkblot is considered to have a unique stimulus quality.

Question 58

The Rorschach Inkblot Test

A) was originally developed with highly structured and comprehensive administration and scoring instructions.
B) can be purchased as either a black-and-white or a multicolored set of cards.
C) is used widely by behavioral psychologists.
D) None of these

Question 59

The stimulus cards of the Rorschach test are

A) achromatic.
B) multicolored.
C) black, white, and red.
D) All of these

Question 60

Of the following projective picture-story telling tests,which is the MOST widely used?

A) The Thematic Apperception Test.
B) The Make-a-Picture Story Method.
C) The Children's Apperception Test.
D) The Roberts Apperception Test

Question 61

Which of the following words is most likely to be considered "traumatic" on a word association test?

A) dance
B) stomach
C) water
D) mother

Question 62

The strongest psychometric aspect of the Rorschach is its

A) inter-rater reliability with respect to interpretations.
B) inter-rater reliability with respect to scoring categories.
C) test-retest reliability over a short period of time.
D) internal-consistency split-half reliability for odd and even items.

Question 63

The use of words as projective stimuli is based on which assumption?

A) Words are inherently emotionally charged and therefore a good source of psychological data.
B) Associations to words are chance happenings.
C) Word associations are the result of the individual's life experiences and personality.
D) Word associations exhibit high test-retest reliability.

Question 64

When interpretations about personality are derived from analysis of figure drawings

A) emphasis is placed on the artistic skill of the drawer.
B) the most critical variable is the length of time required to complete the drawing.
C) nationally representative standardization samples are frequently used.
D) None of these

Question 65

In evaluating a child who is described by a referral source as "fidgety,restless,and impulsive," what type of drawing on the Machover Draw-A-Person Test could that child reasonably be expected to produce?

A) a large person extending off the page
B) a small person drawn in the left-hand corner of the page
C) a person of average size drawn in the middle of the page
D) a person drawn in an "x-ray" perspective

Question 66

Critics have attacked projective tests for all of the reasons listed below EXCEPT which of these?

A) the assumptions inherent in the use of projective tests.
B) the situational variables that affect projective test results.
C) the low reliability of projective tests.
D) difficulties in administering projective tests.

Question 67

Different testtakers may evidence similarities in response themes to the same projective stimuli.This fact has been used by critics of projective techniques to support which argument?

A) There is a commonality of response to projective material.
B) Responses to projective material are the result of stimulus-response models of behavior.
C) Projective material is not as ambiguous as proponents claim.
D) Multiple-choice tests must be used with projective methods if accurate interpretations are to result.

Question 68

Which statement is TRUE regarding projective techniques in general?

A) There is a direct and positive correlation between the ambiguity of the stimuli and the amount of information the subject reveals about his or her personality.
B) Projective techniques continue to enjoy widespread clinical acceptance despite their questionable psychometric soundness.
C) Projection has been shown to be greater for stimulus material that is familiar to the subject.
D) Projection on a grand scale has been referred to by clinicians as "IMAX projection."

Question 69

Murstein questioned which of the following assumptions concerning projective methods?

A) The more ambiguous the stimuli, the more the subject reveals.
B) Subjects are unaware of what they are disclosing.
C) There is a parallel between behavior obtained on a projective test and behavior displayed in social situations.
D) All of these

Question 70

The assumption that individuals will supply structure to unstructured stimuli in a manner consistent with their own conscious and unconscious concerns underlies the

A) projectile hypothesis.
B) subjective hypothesis.
C) projective hypothesis.
D) Skinnerian hypothesis.

Question 71

On the Machover Draw-A-Person Test,a testtaker draws a person with extremely large ears.One hypothesis the test user might reasonably entertain on the basis of this drawing is that this testtaker is MOST probably

A) impulsive.
B) depressed.
C) paranoid.
D) anxious.

Question 72

Figure-drawing tests

A) provide little opportunity for respondents to verbalize what they think of the drawings.
B) may be affected by the drawing ability of the testtaker.
C) are not scored by means of any formal scoring system.
D) None of these

Question 73

A principle underlying interpretation of TAT responses is

A) assessees will identify with someone in the story and indirectly express their own needs.
B) assessees will display their level of creativity while composing a story.
C) the protagonist in the story will express the exact same personality traits as the person telling the story.
D) the protagonist in the story will have the exact same personality type as the person telling the story.

Question 74

Scoring of Rorschach responses based on the Comprehensive System is probably

A) less psychometrically sound than those based on other systems.
B) just as psychometrically sound as those based on other systems.
C) more psychometrically sound than those based on other systems.
D) more demanding than other systems since a knowledge of all other systems is required.

Question 75

Of the following persons,which one served as the curator of the Hermann Rorschach Museum and Archives in Bern,Switzerland?

A) Klopfer
B) Piotrowski
C) Beck
D) None of these

Question 76

How is the TAT similar to the Rorschach?

A) Inter-rater reliability based on interpretation is high.
B) Inter-rater reliability based on coding categories is low.
C) Test-retest reliability is high.
D) Inter-rater reliability based on coding categories is high.

Question 77

Sentence completion tests

A) are based predominantly on cognitive theories of personality.
B) usually have a high degree of face validity.
C) are not vulnerable to "faking."
D) All of these

Question 78

The Comprehensive System for interpreting the Rorschach was developed

A) to create a system that incorporated all of the best features of other systems.
B) to increase the validity of the test by determining common responses.
C) to increase the number of responses given by examinees to each blot by expanding the inquiry period.
D) All of these

Question 79

Scoring criteria for the Rorschach include

A) accuracy, content, determinants, form, and popularity.
B) accuracy, polarity, reliability, and validity.
C) content, form, reliability, and validity.
D) content, determinants, form, location, and popularity.

Question 80

When interpreting a person's response to an inkblot test,it is important to interpret

A) only what the individual perceives in the blot.
B) what the individual perceives in the blot and how he or she perceives it.
C) whether or not the test user would have responded in the same way.
D) All of these