INTERVIEWS
This are classified as either unstructured or structured. In an unstructured interview no specific questions must be asked but rather the conversation develops in whatever direction seems appropriate.
In structures interviews a set of standard questions is designed to provide the information necessary to assess personality they obviously depend on the skills of the interview and the co-operation and honesty of the person being interviewed.
Observation
This includes watching a person’s behavior in every day situation over a period of time. The idea is naturalistic observation where the person is observed in a normal environment. The observer record the subject’s behavior and then attempts to determine motivation and develops a personality description of the individual observed. The success in observation depends upon the skills of the subject. The observer must interpret correctly the behavior shown by the subjects.
Objective personality test This are scored according to standardized instructions. One of the best
known personality test is the Minnesota miltiphatic personality inventory
(MMPI) designed by hatherrway and McKinley to identify personality disorders.
It contains 550 items ensured true or false. It contains statements such as I believe am plotted against the subject’s
responses are compared to scores produced by the normal individuals and can be
used to identify a variety of personal disorders. Projective personality test These present simple ambiguous stimuli that will allow subjects to
respond with projections of their own personality. The best known is the
Rorschach inkblots (five black and five colored). The subject is asked to go
through the cards and discuss feel what is seen. However, because of the subjective nature of this kind of test
interpretation validity and reliability of the projective tests are low.
Another one is the Thematic Apperception Test which uses pictures of people in
the every day settings rather than abstract inkblots. Subjects are shown
pictures one at a time, and are required to make up stories about the people
portrayed in the pictures. It is assume that subjects will project their own thought and feelings into the stories. However, the
TAT can be influenced by temporary conditions such as hunger, lack of sleep,
and frustration. Other projective tests include: 1. Word
association test. E.g. girl – beautiful. 2. Sentence
completion tests 3. Pictures
drawing tests (house, picture, tree)
In structures interviews a set of standard questions is designed to provide the information necessary to assess personality they obviously depend on the skills of the interview and the co-operation and honesty of the person being interviewed.
Observation
This includes watching a person’s behavior in every day situation over a period of time. The idea is naturalistic observation where the person is observed in a normal environment. The observer record the subject’s behavior and then attempts to determine motivation and develops a personality description of the individual observed. The success in
observation depends upon the skills of the subject. The observer must interpret correctly the behavior shown by the subjects.
Objective personality test
This are scored according to standardized instructions. One of the best known personality test is the Minnesota miltiphatic personality inventory (MMPI) designed by hatherrway and McKinley to identify personality disorders. It contains 550 items ensured true or false.
It contains statements such as I believe am plotted against the subject’s responses are compared to scores produced by the normal individuals and can be used to identify a variety of personal disorders.
Projective personality test
These present simple ambiguous stimuli that will allow subjects to respond with projections of their own personality. The best known is the Rorschach inkblots (five black and five colored). The subject is asked to go through the cards and discuss feel what is seen.
However, because of the subjective nature of this kind of test interpretation validity and reliability of the projective tests are low. Another one is the Thematic Apperception Test which uses pictures of people in the every day settings rather than abstract inkblots. Subjects are shown pictures one at a time, and are required to make up stories about the people portrayed in the pictures. It is assume that subjects will
project their own thought and feelings into the stories. However, the TAT can be influenced by temporary conditions such as hunger, lack of sleep, and frustration.
Other projective tests include:
1. Word association test. E.g. girl – beautiful.
2. Sentence completion tests
3. Pictures drawing tests (house, picture, tree)