Description:
Answer the following questions, in essay format in D2L in a post titled “Trait Approaches to Personality”
1. Describe trait approaches to personality. Briefly describe Allport’s, Cattell’s, and Eysenck’s trait theories of personality. Identify the Big Five personality dimensions central to contemporary trait approaches. Outline several ways in which the validity of the Big Five theory is supported. Discuss the virtues and drawbacks of the trait approaches to personality as outlined in your text.
2. What are psychological tests and what is the goal of them? Discuss reliability, validity and norms in the context of how researchers ensure they have “good measures” of personality traits.
3. What are the three tips your book describes to become an informed consumer of psychology with regards to personality assessments?
4. Application Question: Now that you are an informed consumer, take this Big Five mini-test online. It will take 5 minutes max. Do not overthink your responses:
https://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/bigfiveminitest.html.
Then, take this “shareware” version of a Five Factor test. It is longer (300 questions) and will take about 20 minutes to complete. Again, do not overthink your responses:
https://www.personalitytest.net/ipip/ipipneo300.htm.
After you complete the tests, answer these questions:
Do you feel that either or both of the tests accurately reflect your personality? Why or why not? Compare and contrasts the tests and, indicating if you have a preference for one over the other and why. Do you think one is a better measure than the other (note, this might be different than your preference!)?
Do you think that the five factors of the Big Five are a good way to evaluate personality differences? Why or why not?