Personality Measures – Validity and Reliability

You textbook describes different types of personality measures, such as subjective, objective, and projective. Examples of subjective measures are observations, interviews, and situational tests. Examples of objective measures are questionnaires, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, and various questionnaires that measure the “big five” personality traits of openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Examples of projective measures are the Rorschach inkblot test and the thematic apperception test. Each type of measure has strengths and limitations.

Personality measures vary widely in how valid and reliable they are. In objective measures, we see those that range from highly invalid and reliable, such as a quiz in a fashion magazine, to measures that show high reliability and validity, such as the MMPI-2.

In your text in the Unit 6 studies, you read definitions of “reliability” and “validity.” For this discussion, describe your understanding of the two terms in your own words. Describe why it is important to consider reliability and validity when using a personality measure for practices such as counseling and job placement.