MEASURING PERSONALITY

Measuring Personality

Measuring Personality

Introduction

According to Gordon Allport;

“Personality is so complex a thing that every legitimate method must be employed in study” (Allport, quoted in Burger, 2010).

Personality can be defined as the several process of intrapersonal communication and consistent pattern of behavior deriving in a person. Although, the patterns of these behaviors can be identified by using different methods because of the consistent patterns; however, the discrepancies are complex to record unless the person whose behavior is being measured participates in providing the details in his/her behavioral patterns.

Personality and psychological constructs are the inferred traits or characteristics a person has. Since, there are a number of concepts defined in psychology which are intangible and cannot be seen; the question, which arises here, is that are these traits measurable, as well? In answering this question, the most crucial point is the validity and reliability of these methods of measuring personality. There are different methods of measuring someone's personality; however, for the sake of brevity, we are going to discuss only three in detail. Towards the end of this paper, the most appropriate way of measuring personality amongst the three will be identified. These three methods are self-reports, information reports and behavioral measures.

Discussion

Self Reports

This is the most widely used method in many areas of social sciences, which also includes psychology of personality. In this method, individuals are asked to report information about a specific personality construct. The most preferred way for asking people this information is by providing people with questionnaires in which a number of questions and statements are mentioned for measuring personality. According to a research conducted in 2006, as much as 98 percent of all the studies, which the Journal of Research in Personality published, used the self-reporting method. In addition to this, out of these 98 percent, 70 percent ...