Question 1

A personality psychologist is measuring achievement motivation in grade-school children while a forensic psychologist is measuring the level of moral reasoning in a group of convicted rapists. While addressing different issues, both of these individuals are involved in the activity of:

Accepted Answer

Both psychologists are involved in personality assessment as they are measuring psychological traits or characteristics in individuals.

Question 2

The purpose of personality assessment is:

Accepted Answer

E

Question 3

A clinical psychologist in California is discussing the personality test scores of a group of clients with a colleague in Florida. She tells her colleague that her clients are scoring relatively high on this particular test. This type of comparison can be made because of the existence of:

Accepted Answer

Group norms for the test allow for the comparison of individual scores to a standard or average, making it possible to determine if scores are relatively high or low.

Question 4

A director of personnel for an insurance company is thinking about hiring a particular individual for a sales position. Before doing so, the director will probably compare this individual's score on a personality test to the test scores of other successful agents by using:

Accepted Answer

The director will likely use information from group norms to compare the individual's personality test score to those of other successful agents, as this provides a benchmark for evaluating potential success in the role.

Question 5

A _____ is an individual who specializes in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality tests and other techniques of psychological assessment.

Accepted Answer

A psychometrician is a professional who specializes in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of psychological tests, including personality assessments.

Question 6

After being admitted to a psychiatric hospital for observation, an individual is given a series of tests to help in diagnosing the disorder the person is experiencing. This is an example of a personality test being used in a(n):

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes a clinical setting, where personality tests are used to diagnose and understand mental health disorders.

Question 7

In a recent episode of "Law and Disorder," the head detective looked over the pattern of results for a series of personality tests taken by a group of incarcerated drug dealers to help determine which of the officers in her squad might be collaborating with local gang members to smuggle drugs into the state prison. This represents the use of a _______.

Accepted Answer

The head detective is using the results of personality tests to create a personality profile to identify potential collaborators.

Question 8

The use of personality tests to help select individuals to perform certain jobs is an example of using personality tests in a(n):

Accepted Answer

Personality tests are used in corporate settings to assess candidates' suitability for specific roles, helping employers make informed hiring decisions.

Question 9

A store manager consults with the human resources director on using a new personality test to help select those employees who will be most likely to complete a 10-week sales training course. This is an example of personality assessment being utilized in a _____ setting.

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes a corporate setting where personality assessments are used to select employees for a sales training program, which is a typical application in business environments.

Question 10

A sports psychologist working for a professional football team is considering using a personality test to assess the level of personality adjustment of a group of new players to help the head coach decide which players should be kept on the team. Before evaluating the players using the test, the sports psychologist decides to examine the consistency of the test. In order to assess the degree of consistency of a personality test, he will want to examine the test's:

Accepted Answer

The reliability coefficient is a measure used to assess the consistency of a test.

Question 11

To determine the consistency of a new personality test to measure need for achievement, a researcher gives the test to a group of middle-level managers at the beginning of the year and again two months later. The researcher is attempting to determine the test's:

Accepted Answer

The researcher is assessing test-retest reliability by administering the same test to the same group at two different times to see if the results are consistent.

Question 12

A clinical psychologist is trying to develop a personality test to measure depression. She gives the test to a group of depressed individuals today and then plans to give them the same test four weeks from today. She is doing this to establish the test's:

Accepted Answer

The psychologist is administering the test twice to the same group to see if it produces consistent results over time, which is a measure of test-retest reliability.

Question 13

As the director of research for a company that develops personality tests, you make sure that at least three individuals score each test to check the degree to which there is consistency in the manner in which the test is scored. Your efforts reflect a concern for establishing:

Accepted Answer

This practice is aimed at ensuring examiner reliability, which refers to the consistency of scores given by different examiners.

Question 14

A school counselor gives the transcript of a personal interview to two of his colleagues to interpret. The purpose of this is to assess the _______ of their interpretation.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of giving the transcript to two colleagues is to assess examiner reliability, which refers to the consistency of interpretations or assessments made by different examiners.

Question 15

Providing detailed training and standardization of the procedures for scoring personality tests are two courses of action for increasing:

Accepted Answer

Providing detailed training and standardization of procedures for scoring personality tests helps ensure that different examiners score the tests consistently, thus increasing examiner reliability.

Question 16

A military psychologist is developing a test of leadership effectiveness. In her tests, she makes sure to have questions that look like they are related to military situations. Her concern represents an emphasis on:

Accepted Answer

Face validity refers to the extent to which a test appears to measure what it is supposed to measure, based on its content. The psychologist's concern with making the questions look related to military situations is an emphasis on face validity.

Question 17

A researcher is developing a personality test for assessing hostility. The researcher makes sure he has items that cover interpersonal, social, and cultural aspects of hostility. The researcher's concern represents an emphasis on:

Accepted Answer

Content validity refers to the extent to which a test measures all aspects of the concept it intends to assess, in this case, the different dimensions of hostility.

Question 18

If you are developing a test to measure honesty, you want to make sure you have items in the test that assess honesty in a variety of different situations. Your efforts represent a concern for the test's:

Accepted Answer

Content validity refers to the extent to which a test measures the specific content or skills that it is intended to measure. In this case, the test is intended to measure honesty, so the items in the test should assess honesty in a variety of different situations.

Question 19

A sales manager uses the overall yearly dollar sales at the end of the year for each new sales trainee to assess the extent to which the test he uses to select trainees has any validity. The sales manager's concern represents an emphasis on _____ validity.

Accepted Answer

Predictive validity refers to the extent to which a test can predict future performance, which is what the sales manager is assessing by comparing test results with yearly sales figures.

Question 20

As a sales manager for a sporting goods company, you have given a personality test to ten new sales agents. Based on your previous experience, those who score the highest on the test have generally had the best sales records. Your use of the test is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Predictive validity refers to the extent to which a score on a scale or test predicts future performance. In this case, the personality test is used to predict the future sales performance of the agents.

Quiz 2: Personality Assessment: An Introduction to the Measurement of Personality