University of Oregon
Psychology 623: PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT
Spring 2000
Instructors: Lewis R. Goldberg and Gerard Saucier
Offices: 381 Straub (Goldberg) and 312 Straub (Saucier)
Internet: lewg@ori.org and gsaucier@oregon.uoregon.edu
Phone: 484-2123 (Goldberg) or 346-4927 (Saucier)
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1-2 pm and 3:30 to 4:30 pm (Goldberg)
Tuesdays 1-3 pm and Thursdays 2-4 pm (Saucier)
Readings: Murphy, K. R., & Davidshofer, C. O. (1998). Psychological testing: Principles and applications (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. All other readings will be made available by the instructors.
The purpose of this graduate course is to give students a useful introduction to basic measurement issues in personality assessment. Among the concepts emphasized are reliability, validity, response bias, factor structure, content comprehensiveness, and cross-cultural generalizability. These measurement issues will be explored broadly, and then in their applications to particular models and measures of personality, including models or measures in which the student has special experience or interest.
Requirements of the course
1. Discussion questions based on readings for the current week. You are responsible for turning in sets of discussion questions based on the readings by the beginning of five different Tuesday class meetings (of the nine after the first session). For example, questions on Week 2 readings are due by the Tuesday class meeting in Week 2. Late discussion questions don't confer credit. Discussion questions are turned in via e-mail to (both addresses simultaneously) lewg@ori.org, gsaucier@oregon. Discussion questions, to be worthwhile and to count, should (a) be indicative of having done the reading and (b) be instances of some degree of critical or insightful thinking. Should you ever develop a "block" about coming up with some, you might consider questions of the following form: Why is this issue important? How are you defining ? Aren't you assuming _____? Isn't it debatable whether _____? Does the evidence really support the notion that _____? Aren't you leaving out _____? Isn't there a limitation with regard to _____ (e.g., caused by using that methodology)? Responses to selected discussion questions turned in by Tuesday will be a part of the Thursday sessions, starting with week 2.
2. A final paper. Students will be asked to identify a personality model or measure and discuss basic measurement issues with respect to it. A set of generic questions that should be addressed in the final paper will be made available by week 6. The model or measure chosen may be one with which the student has experience, or one in which the student has a particular interest. Selected research-literature references are likely to be useful in the final paper, although none is strictly required. The final paper is due at the beginning of the final-exam time for the course (Thurs., June 8, 1 pm).
3. A brief presentation based on the final paper (or at least on your early drafts of this paper) during weeks 8 or 9 or 10. Your presentation should be focused on questions, difficulties, puzzles, or dilemmas you are experiencing with respect to the content of your final paper (after providing a bit of background). The brief presentation is primarily an opportunity to get some feedback from the instructors and other class members on the issues involved. These presentations will be allotted about 10-20 minutes each, depending partly on the number of students enrolled.
The final grade is based on: 40% for turning in five sets of discussion questions and a generally acceptable level of in-class contribution, 10% for the brief presentation, and 50% for the final paper.
Course Calendar and Readings
Week 1: March 28-30
* Introduction to the course and to psychological testing
Readings for Week 1: Murphy & Davidshofer (MD) chapters 1-4
Week 2: April 4-6
* Basic testing concepts, with an emphasis on reliability
Readings for Week 2: MD chapters 5-7; Nunnally & Bernstein (NB) chapters 6-7
Week 3: April 11-13
* Validity; relation of reliability to validity; item analysis
Readings for Week 3: MD chapters 8-10; NB chapter 3
Week 4: April 18-20
* Methods used for developing personality measures
Readings for Week 4: MD chapter 11 and pp. 248-250 of chapter 12;
NB chapter 8
Week 5: April 25-27
* Overview of personality measures; impact of halo effects, response biases, and response styles
Readings for Week 5: NB pp. 373-392 of chapter 9 and additional readings TBA
Week 6: May 2-4
* An introduction to factor analysis and its most important applications in personality measurement
Readings for Week 6: NB chapters 11-12; also article by Goldberg and Digman (1994)
Week 7: May 9-11
* Lexically derived factorial models for personality assessment (e.g., the Big Five); issues of cross-cultural generalizability in personality testing
Readings for Week 7: articles by Saucier and Goldberg (1996a, 1996b) and by Saucier, Hampson, and Goldberg (in press); additional readings TBA
Week 8: May 16-18
* Normal-range personality scales and inventories: NEO-PI-R, 16PF, CPI, and/or others -- what's the state of the art? What would be better? How are the basic measurement issues handled?
Readings for Week 8: readings TBA
Week 9: May 23-25
* Personality via psychopathology; the MMPI-2 as a personality measure; the MCMI-III and other measurement models for personality disorders
Readings for Week 9: Newmark chapters 1 and 3 and critiques (TBA)
Week 10: May 30 and June 1
* Projective approaches: The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) as a personality measure, including an overview of cross-cultural studies with projective instruments
Readings for Week 10: Newmark chapter 5 and critiques (TBA)
Final paper is due at the beginning of final exam date/time (Thursday, June 8, 1 pm) – there is no final examination for this course