Personality_Assessment_and_Theories

There are four ways that psychologists assess personality. The first one is the personal interview. The purpose of this interview is to gain information from the interviewee. In an unstructured interview, the questions are spontaneous and arise during the course of conversation, with some questions followed by additional questions on the topic. With a structured interview, the questions are predetermined and in specific order. Personal interviews are used in determining psychodynamic, humanistic, and social learning theories of personality (Maisto & Morris, 2005). The second way personality is assessed is direct observation. This is known to be time-consuming and expensive to achieve results that could be misinterpreted. People tend to act differently than normal if they know they are being watched. This has the tendency of altering the observer’s interpretation of the observation. This assessment is used in determining social learning personality traits (Maisto & Morris, 2005). The third way of assessing personality is objective tests. These are generally used for evaluating personalities but it depends on how honest the person is or how objective they are. Objective testing is used in determining humanistic, trait, and social learning theories of personality (Maisto & Morris, 2005). The test I took at http://similarminds.com/jung_work.html is an objective test. I took this test several times with close to the same results each time and also had my brother and husband take this test. After acquiring our results we googled them and read the portrait of each trait. The results were very accurate and matched my brother to a “T.” It classified me as an “ESTJ.” “Administrator”- Much in touch with the external environment. Very responsible. Pillar of strength. 8.7 percent of total population. My perceiving and Judging were both 50 percent. I am 80.65 percent extroverted, 66.67 percent sensing, and 52. 27 percent thinking. Objective testing can be fairly accurate when one is able to identify certain qualities about them self. The fourth way of assessing personality is projective tests. The Rorschach test is the best known and most frequently used. As the subject describes different compiled inkblots, the description should reveal specific personality aspects. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is similar to the Rorschach technique but instead of describing inkblots, the subject describes pictures of human figures in indefinite situations. The TAT has not been able to be used since the 1970s because of its invalidity and unreliability. If the test is interpreted by a skilled examiner, then this test can offer useful insight into a person’s attitudes and feelings. Projective tests are flexible and allow the test-taker to be in a relaxed atmosphere without tension or distractions. Projective tests are used to determine psychodynamic theories which release unconscious thoughts, feelings, motives and conflicts (Maisto & Morris, 2005). Reference Maisto, A.A., and Morris, C.G. (2005). Psychology: An Introduction. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.