Vocational Tests
I. The "Myers-Briggs" Type Indicator - based on Carl Jung's theory of "psychological types."
1. One is either an "introvert" or an "extravert" (the two attitudes).
2. Also, there are "functions," sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, judgment vs. perception.
3. Questions are in "ipsative" (forced choice) format.
4. Yields a "code" for example ESTJ that reflects ones interests, values, motivation.
5. Validity of theory and test is questionable.
6. Results tend to be very general so of limited use.
II. The Strong (CampBell) Interest Inventory - Based on "Holland's" model of ocupational themes, more objective and comprehensive than the Myers, contains three sets of scales. Page 1 summarizes your results. Results are reported in "T scores."
1. General Occupational Themes - interests in six broad areas are rank ordered.
2. Basic Interest Scales - measure interest in 25 more specific categories. Your top 5 are rank ordered on pg. 1 along with a Letter indicating the corresponding general "theme" for each.
3. Occupational Scales - your interests are compared with those of people happy in 211 occupations. The 10 you are most similar to to are rank ordered on pg. 1. Again, the general "theme" Letter is also indicated.
4. We don't always know ourselves. While our subject's interests appear "artistic," she seems to have more in common with people happy in "conventional" and "enterprising" occupations such as paralegal and banker.
5. A good test, and the #1 test in counseling settings.
III. Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16pf) - While not designed as a vocational test, is often used (like part 3 of the Strong).
1. Assesses "normal," not pathological personality.
2. Uses a 3 point Likert scale format. Raw scores are converted to norm based "Sten" scores for profile plotting.
3.Cattell "factor analyzed" 16 basic traits of personality.
4. Also, five additional "higher order" factors / traits: Extraversion, Anxiety, Tough Mindedness, Independence, and Self-Control.
5. Again, we don't always know ourselves. While our college student is thinking about accounting, she has much more in common with social workers.
Personality Questionnaires / Tests
Objective Tests:
I. Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) - Hans Eysenck in mid 1900s, based on ideas going back to Hippocrates.
1. relatively short with a true-false format
2. measures the two "Superfactors" of neuroticism and extraversion.
precursor to the NEO.
3. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) also assesses "Psychoticism" ("emotional callousness" and "divergent thinking")
II. NEO Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-PI-R) - developed by Costa and McCrae in late 1900s. Measures "NORMAL" personality in terms of the "big five" factor "consensual" model.
1. "big five" model currently dominates personality theory, 1. neuroticism, 2. extraversion, 3. openness, 4. agreeableness, 5. conscientiousness.
2. NEOAC can spell OCEAN
3. 240 Likert scale questions
4. each factor has 6 "facet" scales (subfactors), e.g., anger, hostility, and vulnerability are facets of neuroticism.
5. comes in "self report" and "other report" versions.
6. scale "T scores" are plotted on a "profile" sheet.
III. NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) - a much shorter version of the NEO.
1. Yields only the basic factor scores, no facets.
2. Richman's opinion - the five factor model has become too influential!
IV. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory II (MMPI-II) - developed the assess "pathological personality" in 1940s by Hathaway and McKinley, now used to assess normal personality as well.
1. most widely used personality questionnaire of any type
2. uses a true-false format (570 questions) but allows for "?" can't answer choice. However, too many of these and some scales can't be calculated.
3. originally had 3 "validity" scales (L,F, K) and 10 clinical scales, many more have been added.
L (lie scale) detects overt attempts to present oneself in a positive light
F (fake bad scale) detects over-endorsement of pathology
K (fake good scale) detects more subtle fake good attempts than L, also too much willingness to disclose
4. "profile" - is plotted using "T scores."
5. results are evaluated in terms of "2 or 3 point code" (highest 2 or 3 scales).
6. the 2 - 7 profile - peaks on "D" depression (2) and Pt psychasthenia (7). most common outpatient profile, "neurotic," usually depressive or anxiety disorder diagnosis, obsessive, dependent, fearful, clients seek out and do better in therapy (Adrian Monk).
7. the 4 - 9 profile - peaks on "Pd" psychopathic deviate (4) and "M" mania (9), usually diagnosis of antisocial personality, anger, hostility, drug and alcohol use, family problems, manipulative, often in trouble with law, poor therapy prospects (Ted Bundy, very high scores).
8. Richman's opinion - best, most cost effective way of "getting inside" someone's head.
Projective Tests: based on the "projective hypothesis." The Rorschach and TAT are most popular but there are many others.
"projective hypothesis" - We will project, onto an ambiguous stimulus, unconscious thoughts and feelings.
favored by psychoanalytic (Freudian) psychologists.
I. Rorschach Inkblot Test - developed by Hermann Rorschach in the 1920s, 10 cards (with symmetrical inkblots) are presented in order, most are black & white, some have color.
1. responses are evaluated in terms of type (form, color, texture), content (human movement, animal movement, reflection, white), how common or unusual it is, etc.
2. "easier" cards come first, later ones have more complex designs and color. Some have touches of red, last three vivid multi-colored.
3. "Exner Comprehensive Scoring system" - developed to improve validity and reliability. Complex, difficult, time consuming, and expensive to administer and report. Uses "criterion / contrasted groups - empirical keying," like the MMPI.
4. Five scoring criteria include: "location," determinant," form quality," "content," "popularity"
5. Form quality is probably the most important.
6. Test yields a number of "indices" including: a. Schizophrenia, Depression, and Suicide.
7. I think its popularity is declining.
II. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) - developed by Morgan and Murray in mid 1900s, based on Henry Murray's theory of "psychological needs" (power, achievement, etc.).
1. no set format for administration or scoring.
2. about 10 "cards" are selected from about 30 (showing people alone or interacting with others). So, good for getting at interpersonal issues.
3. client simply tells stories about the cards.
4. can be used just to get therapy started, or to form hypotheses.
5. Richman's opinion - has greater utility than the Rorschach