influences on personality assessment
Assessing personality to predict behavior is part of a long-standing debate that raises the following questions: Do personality traits determine how an individual might respond to a given event? Or is it the event that determines how an individual might respond? While this debate continues, assessing individuals’ experiences, actions, thoughts, and feelings can provide insight into these individuals’ personalities and how they might respond to specific events. How might broader influences such as culture, ethnicity, geographic region, and events affect personality assessment? How have these perspectives influenced the development and use of personality assessment instruments over time? In understanding the origins of personality assessment and the perspectives that shaped the various assessment instruments, psychologists gain insight into the benefits and challenges of using them.
For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources. Then, review the Introduction to Personality Assessment video from the Personality Assessment Video Series. Consider how personality assessment and personality assessment instruments have evolved over time. Think about how historical events and changes in personality theories might have influenced the evolution of personality assessment instruments. Finally, consider how the history of personality assessment influences today’s use of personality assessment instruments.
With these thoughts in mind:
Write, an analysis of how personality assessment has evolved over time, referencing examples from the video. Then explain how one historical event and one change in personality theory have significantly influenced the evolution of personality assessment.
Resource
Butcher, J. N. (2006). Assessment in clinical psychology: A perspective on the past, present challenges, and future prospects. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 13(3), 205–209.
- Weiner, I. B., & Greene, R. L. (2008). Handbook of personality assessment (1st ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- Chapter 1, “History of Personality Assessment,†(pp. 3–18)
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Family case study [Interactive media]. Baltimore, MD: Author.