WEEK 2
25 September 2022 22:42
2.2 Measuring individual differences
Ideographic approach:
• Focus on individual – case studies
• Qualitative approach – interviews, diaries
Nomothetic
• Focus is on similarities between individuals – identifying the basic
structure of personality
• Quantitative approach – Psychometric tests, questionaires
PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS
• Personality measures to look at stable traits over time
• Ability measure: IQ, Communication
• Motivation and attitudes
• Neuropsychological: Diagnosis conditions
2.3 Reliability and Validity
GOOD QUESTIONS! Internal reliability
GOOD QUESTIONS HAVE: • Are all the question/aspects of the test actually testing the same thing?
Clarity:
- Only one possible meaning (unambiguous)
- Clear and concise wording
Questions with reverse wording
- Require person to read carefully
Leading questions Doesn't test smoking
- May steer the respondent
RELIABILITY (TEST-RETEST)
Embarrassing questions • Reliability of the test over time (1 week, 2 week, 1 month)
- Don't want to make our respondent uncomfortable If you test the same group twice, will you get the same/similar results?
• CORRELATION OF 0.7 IS SATISFACTORY
Hypothetical questions/statement
- Put a respondent never experienced. VALIDITY
Does the test measure what we claim it does?
RESPONSE FORMAT/SCALES Eg. Self-esteem
DIFFERENT TYPES:
1. CONVERGENT: association with other similar measures?
Self-esteem correlates with self-worth,social skills
2. CONCURRENT: Acceptable correlation with other measures of the same construct?
Any other measures of self-esteem?
3. DISCRIMINANT: No association with measures it shouldn't be related to?
Intelligence shouldn't be related to with self-esteem
4. FACE VALIDITY: Does it look "at face-value" to be measuring what we want to measure?
subjective
5. CONTENT VALIDITY: Are all the areas of the phenomenon being measures using our scale?
Do we include all the areas of self-esteem?
6. PREDICITVE VALIDITY : Can this sclae predict how people might act in future?
High-esteem scores = more confidence? Less self-criticism?
2.4 Qualitative data in personality research
QUALITATIVE METHODS
• Allow describe personality population level and apply to individuals
• Limits applying learnt from population to individual
• The uniqueness of individuals and their situations means this approach looses much info may be
important in understanding people & how their responses vary in different psychological domains.
• Qualitative methods help tap into more hidden information
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND ID
WORDS AS DATA
QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS
LECTURES Page 1
25 September 2022 22:42
2.2 Measuring individual differences
Ideographic approach:
• Focus on individual – case studies
• Qualitative approach – interviews, diaries
Nomothetic
• Focus is on similarities between individuals – identifying the basic
structure of personality
• Quantitative approach – Psychometric tests, questionaires
PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS
• Personality measures to look at stable traits over time
• Ability measure: IQ, Communication
• Motivation and attitudes
• Neuropsychological: Diagnosis conditions
2.3 Reliability and Validity
GOOD QUESTIONS! Internal reliability
GOOD QUESTIONS HAVE: • Are all the question/aspects of the test actually testing the same thing?
Clarity:
- Only one possible meaning (unambiguous)
- Clear and concise wording
Questions with reverse wording
- Require person to read carefully
Leading questions Doesn't test smoking
- May steer the respondent
RELIABILITY (TEST-RETEST)
Embarrassing questions • Reliability of the test over time (1 week, 2 week, 1 month)
- Don't want to make our respondent uncomfortable If you test the same group twice, will you get the same/similar results?
• CORRELATION OF 0.7 IS SATISFACTORY
Hypothetical questions/statement
- Put a respondent never experienced. VALIDITY
Does the test measure what we claim it does?
RESPONSE FORMAT/SCALES Eg. Self-esteem
DIFFERENT TYPES:
1. CONVERGENT: association with other similar measures?
Self-esteem correlates with self-worth,social skills
2. CONCURRENT: Acceptable correlation with other measures of the same construct?
Any other measures of self-esteem?
3. DISCRIMINANT: No association with measures it shouldn't be related to?
Intelligence shouldn't be related to with self-esteem
4. FACE VALIDITY: Does it look "at face-value" to be measuring what we want to measure?
subjective
5. CONTENT VALIDITY: Are all the areas of the phenomenon being measures using our scale?
Do we include all the areas of self-esteem?
6. PREDICITVE VALIDITY : Can this sclae predict how people might act in future?
High-esteem scores = more confidence? Less self-criticism?
2.4 Qualitative data in personality research
QUALITATIVE METHODS
• Allow describe personality population level and apply to individuals
• Limits applying learnt from population to individual
• The uniqueness of individuals and their situations means this approach looses much info may be
important in understanding people & how their responses vary in different psychological domains.
• Qualitative methods help tap into more hidden information
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND ID
WORDS AS DATA
QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS
LECTURES Page 1
