DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Practical report-1
Developing psychological testing skills
Assessment of personality using Maudsley’s personality inventory
Roll number - 21501262
Examination roll number-21040501019
Subject- Statistical methods and psychological research [SMPR]
Course- BA PROGRAM
Semester- 4th
Lakshmibai college, University of Delhi
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Abstract
The present practical aims at assessing an individual on personality dimensions using Maudsley’s
Personality Inventory. For this practical, purposive sampling was done wherein a female participant aged
19 pursuing political science honors was subjected to psychological testing based on MPI. Result
indicates that the participant obtained a raw score of 26 on both the dimensions of neuroticism and
extraversion which corresponds to the standard score of 53 and 47 respectively. Overall result indicates
that the participant is average on both the dimensions.
Key words: assessment,personality inventory,extraversion,neuroticism
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Assessment of personality using Maudsley’s Personality Inventory
The distinctive and relatively enduring ways of thinking, feeling and acting that characterizes a
person’s responses to life situations (Passer&Smith,2009). Personality is shaped by a variety of factors,
including genetics, early life experiences, social and cultural influences, and personal choices and
experiences. It can also change over time, as individuals develop new skills, adapt to new situations, and
engage in self-reflection and personal growth.
The history of personality can be traced back to Ancient Greece. The Greek philosophers,
including Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, were among the first to ponder the nature of personality. In 370
BCE, Hippocrates proposed two pillars of temperament: hot/cold and moist/dry, resulting in four humors
or combinations of these qualities. The hot and dry combination was referred to as yellow bile, cold and
dry as black bile, hot and wet was blood and cold and wet was phlegm. Though much of the work that
arose from this theory of the Four Humors was medicinal in nature, it was also hypothesized a patient's
personality could be influenced by humoral imbalances.Aristotle was also one of the first individuals to
hypothesize connections between physical aspects of the body and behavior. Late 19th century
physiologist Wilhelm Wundt expounded on the four humors theory in 1879 and he is noted to be the first
person to make clear distinction between human body and personality. Wundt realized that temperaments
could not be limited to the body fluids. He theorized that four temperaments—sanguine, phlegm, cholera
and melancholy. The rapid growth of the field of psychology beginning in the early 20th century led to
increased interest regarding individual personality. Sigmund Freud emphasized the role of unconscious
desires and early childhood experiences in shaping personality.Carl Jung popularized the terms
extraversion and introversion.The study of personality continued to evolve in the 20th century, with the
emergence of new theories and approaches, including humanistic psychology, which emphasized the
importance of subjective experience and personal growth; trait theory, which focused on identifying and
measuring specific personality traits; and social-cognitive theory, which proposed that personality was
shaped by both personal and environmental factors.
The nomothetic approach seeks to identify general laws or principles that apply to everyone, and
to study personality in a way that allows for comparisons across individuals. This approach involves
using standardized tests and measures to assess personality traits and characteristics, and then analyzing
the data to identify patterns and trends. The nomothetic approach is often used in large-scale studies and
surveys that aim to identify broad patterns in personality traits.
The idiographic approach focuses on understanding the unique characteristics and experiences of
individuals. This approach seeks to study personality in a way that recognizes and celebrates the diversity
of human experience, rather than trying to identify universal principles that apply to everyone. The
idiographic approach often involves in-depth interviews or case studies to explore an individual's
personality in depth.
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
The psychodynamic perspective of personality primarily focuses on the role of the unconscious
mind. According to Sigmund Freud, the unconscious mind is a reservoir that stores all instinctive energy
and impulses. Freud divided the human psyche into three different structures: id,ego and superego. Freud
described id as “a chaos,a cauldron of seething excitations”. Id has no regard for reality and operates on
the pleasure principle seeking immediate gratification of all desires. Ego maintains a balance between the
desires of id and the realities of the external world. Ego operates on the reality principle. Superego is the
moral branch of personality and keeps id’s inhibited desires in check. It includes the values and norms of
family and society.
The humanistic perspective of personality primarily focuses on the unique potential and worth of
every individual, and the importance of personal growth and self-actualization. Humanistic psychologists
such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers believed that the study of human behavior should focus on the
subjective experiences and perceptions of individuals, rather than just their observable actions or
unconscious desires.One of the key concepts of humanistic theory is self-actualization, which refers to
the natural tendency of humans to strive for personal fulfillment and to realize their potential. According
to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, self-actualization is the highest level of psychological development,
which can only be achieved after more basic needs such as safety, belongingness, and esteem are met.
The behavioristic perspective of personality primarily focuses on external stimuli and the effect of
learning in shaping an individual’s personality.The roots of the behavioral perspective of personality lies
in Pavlov’s study of classical conditioning and Skinner’s study of operant conditioning. Classical
conditioning occurs when we link a previously neutral stimulus to a stimulus that is inborn or unlearned
called unconditioned stimulus.A specific stimulus may come to elicit a specific response through the
process of classical conditioning.Operant conditioning is a form of learning where an association is made
between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior.Behaviors that are reinforced are more likely to
be repeated, while behaviors that are punished are less likely to be repeated.
The socio-cognitive perspective of personality primarily focuses on cognitive processes such as
attention, memory, and reasoning along with external stimuli in shaping personality. This view of
personality includes social and mental processes and their influence on behavior.One important concept
in the socio-cognitive perspective is the idea of observational learning, which suggests that people can
learn new behaviors by observing others. Another key concept in the socio-cognitive perspective is the
idea of self-regulation, which refers to an individual's ability to monitor and control their own behavior.
Self-regulation is influenced by social and cognitive factors, such as the individual's goals, values, and
self-efficacy.
The trait perspective of personality primarily focuses on identifying and measuring specific traits
or characteristics that people possess. Traits are relatively stable cognitive, emotional and behavioral
characteristics of people that help establish their individual identities and distinguish them from others.
The Big Five factor theory is an example of trait theory (openness, extraversion, neuroticism,
conscientiousness, agreeableness). Proponents of the big five factor theory believe that when a person is
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
placed at a specific point on each of these five dimensions, the essence of his or her personality has been
captured(McCae&Costa,2003).
Interview is the most common method of personality assessment. The examiner may ask a
standardized set of questions (structured interview) or engage in a conversational interchange with the
subject (unstructured interview). During the interview, the examiner forms an opinion about personality
characteristics.
Projective techniques assess personality by presenting ambiguous stimuli and requiring a subject
to respond, projecting his or her personality into the responses.The most well-known projective test is the
Rorschach inkblot test. Rorschach inkblot test was developed by Hermann Rorschach, and is perceived
differently by different people, and those perceptions are believed to be related to the subjects' problems.
Another example of projective tests is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)which was developed by
Henry Murray, consists of a series of ambiguous pictures, which the subject is requested to describe and
tell a story about. The test is used to identify a person's emotions, motives, and problems.
Rating scales rate an individual of the possession or absence of certain traits on a certain scale.
The individual is given a place on the scale or a score which indicates the degree to which a person
possesses a given behavior trait.
Behavioral observations involve observing an individual's behavior in different situations to gain
insight into their personality. This can be done through naturalistic observation, where the individual is
observed in their natural environment, or through structured observation, where the individual is
observed in a controlled setting.
Performance-based personality measures are assessment techniques that require the respondent to
perform a task and that are designed to uncover or elicit information or insight into the personality in
action.These tasks might, for example, involve completing a sentence, telling a story, or characterizing an
emotion or verbalizing a statement in response to a depicted situation. Performance tests bring aspects of
relevant behavior, associations, perceptions, organizations, emotions, and interpersonal attitudes and
styles into the consulting room to be observed (Levy, 1963).
Personality inventories include standard sets of questions usually in a true-false or rating scale
format , that are scored using an agreed-on scoring key (Nezami&Butcher,2000).The Minnesota
Multiphasic Personality Inventory is a widely used personality inventory.
In the research article "Personality Traits and Academic Performance among Indian University
Students," the association between personality traits and academic achievement is examined. Prerna
Khanna and Shalini Singh wrote the research, which was published in 2016 in the Journal of the Indian
Academy of Applied Psychology. The Big Five personality traits—neuroticism, extraversion, openness,
agreeableness, and conscientiousness—and academic success among Indian university students were
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
examined using a correlational design. A sample of 314 undergraduate students from several universities
in Delhi, India, participated in the study. The participants filled out self-report questionnaires about their
academic ability and personality traits. The results of the study indicated that there were significant
positive correlations between academic achievement and conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness.
However, there was no significant correlation between academic achievement and neuroticism or
extraversion. The study does have some drawbacks, though, namely the limited sample size, reliance on
self-reported data, and cross-sectional design. Future studies could remove these drawbacks and offer
more information about the connection between personality traits and academic success in various
cultural contexts.
Jyoti Bhat and Varsha Singh published a study titled "Personality and Happiness Among College
Students," which appeared in the Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology in 2017. The
purpose of the study was to look at the connection between Indian college students' happiness and their
personality characteristics. It involved a sample of 300 college students from several colleges in Delhi,
India, and utilized a correlational research approach. The participants filled out self-report questionnaires
about their happiness and personality attributes. The study's findings showed a strong positive
relationship between extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness with happiness. Happiness,
however, did not significantly correlate with either neuroticism or openness. The study also discovered
that among college students, personality factors predicted happiness. The study is subject to various
limitations, such as the use of self-reported data and the limited generalizability of the results to other
cultural situations. Future research might address these issues and offer more information about the
connection between personality traits and happiness in various educational contexts.
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Method
Participant
Name- Apoorva Dewar
Age- 19
Sex- female
Occupation- student
Sampling technique
Purposive sampling was done in this particular study. According to the American Psychological
Association, purposive sampling is a sampling method that focuses on very specific characteristics of the
units or individuals chosen.The purposive sampling method is about selecting samples from the overall
sample size based on the judgment of the survey taker or researcher.In other words, a purposive sample is
collected according to the requirements of the test, survey, or research that it’ll be used for.
Tool
Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) is a self report measure of psychological assessment that measures
two pervasive and independent dimensions of personality, extraversion-introversion and
neuroticism-stability. Each inventory consists of 48 “Yes-No” questions.
For the full scale, the mean neuroticism score for the male and female groups combined was 23.2 with a
standard deviation of 10.0. That corresponds to the English norms of 19.9 which corresponds to standard
deviation of 11.0(Eysenck 1959- Jalota, 1964). The mean combined score was 27.8 and standard
deviation is 6.2. This corresponds with English norms of 24.9 and standard deviation of 9.7. The
reliability coefficient by comparing the first half with second yields for N= +0.557 and E= +0.358. when
connected to full length these figures become for N= +0.71 and for E=+ 0.42.
Material required
Pencil, eraser, black pen, blue pen, screen, response sheet, 2 blank sheets, MPI manual
Arrangement of material
Before calling the participant in the laboratory, a chair, pen, pencil and the inventory along with the
informed consent form were kept ready for the participant. The participant was seated adjacent to the left
hand of the researcher if the participant is right handed or adjacent to the right hand of the researcher if
the participant is left handed.
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Precautions
1. Distractions should be minimized and the lab should be well lit.
2. Note down the start and end time.
Rapport formation
First general rapport formation was done wherein the participant was asked about basic information
about herself including name, age, course etc. Next specific rapport formation was done wherein the
researcher introduced herself, asked if the participant had any doubts and explained the reason for
conducting this practical.
Instructions
“This inventory has 48 questions in total and there are three options: a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’ and a ‘?’ out of
which you are supposed to circle one as your response.I would request you not to choose the ‘?’ unless
absolutely necessary.There's no time limit but don't overthink about your responses and choose the first
response that comes to your mind.”
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Introspective report
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Behavioral report
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Data table
Extraversion
S.no Item number Subject’s
score
1 1 0
2 4 2
3 5 2
4 8 0
5 9 1
6 12 1
7 20 2
8 26 0
9 28 0
10 32 0
11 34 1
12 38 1
13 42 1
14 44 1
15 46 0
16 48 2
17 14 2
18 16 2
19 18 1
20 22 1
21 24 2
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
22 30 2
23 36 1
24 40 1
Neuroticism
S.no Item number Subject's
score
1 2 2
2 3 2
3 6 0
4 7 0
5 10 0
6 11 0
7 13 2
8 15 0
9 17 2
10 19 0
11 21 0
12 23 2
13 25 2
14 27 0
15 29 2
16 31 2
17 33 2
18 35 2
19 37 2
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
20 39 2
21 41 2
22 43 0
23 45 0
24 47 0
Result table
Scores Extraversion / Introversion Neuroticism / Stability
Raw score 26 26
Standard score 47 53
Category Average Average
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Graphical representation
Interpretation and discussion
Aim of this practical is to assess neuroticism- stability and extraversion - introversion dimensions of the
personality of the subject using Eysenck Maudsley’s Personality Inventory (MPI). For this practical, a female
participant of 19 years old pursuing undergraduate degree in political science honors was subjected to MPI.
Purposive sampling technique was used while choosing the participant. The administration was done in the lab
taking precautions into consideration.
The participant obtained a raw score of 26 on both the dimensions of neuroticism and extraversion which
corresponds to the standard score of 53 and 47 respectively.MPI can be interpreted with the help of standard score
i.e T where 50 is mean and a difference of 10 standard score. Hence the average score range is 40-60. Standard
scores of 70 and 30 need attention. Standard scores of above 70 and below 30 is a considerable deviation from the
average.
On the basis of the above discussed range, the participant of the present study obtained a standard score of
53 on the neuroticism dimension and 47 on the extraversion dimension which indicates that the person is calm,
even tempered, comfortable and secure. Finally it can be concluded that the participant is average in both
dimensions
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Conclusion
In order to gain a complete understanding of personality, it is necessary to conduct a study that
examines all aspects of personality.The MPI assesses only a limited number of personality traits, which
may not provide a comprehensive picture of an individual's personality. The inventory focuses on four
dimensions of personality: Extraversion, Neuroticism, stability and introversion. Like other self-report
measures, the MPI is subject to social desirability bias, where individuals may provide responses that
they perceive as socially desirable rather than accurate.The MPI was developed in the UK, and some
items may not be relevant or applicable to individuals from other cultures. The instrument has been
translated and adapted for use in other countries, but cross-cultural differences in the interpretation of the
items may affect its validity.The MPI was developed in the UK, and some items may not be relevant or
applicable to individuals from other cultures. The instrument has been translated and adapted for use in
other countries, but cross-cultural differences in the interpretation of the items may affect its validity.
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
References
Ciccarelli. (2015). Psychology (4th ed.) [English]. Pearson Education.
Eysenck, H. J. (1947). Dimensions of personality. London: Kegan Paul.
history of personality theory and assessment. colorcode. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from
https://www.colorcode.com/media/whitepaper.pdf
history of personality.motivemetrics. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from
https://blog.motivemetrics.com/a-history-of-personality-psychology-part-2
Maudsley personality inventory. Arthur jensen.net. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from
https://arthurjensen.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/The-Maudsley-Personality-Inventory-1958-by-Arth
ur-Robert-Jensen.pdf
Passer, & Smith. (2009). Psychology the science of mind and behavior (4th ed.) [English]. McGraw- Hill
purposive sampling.APA Dictionary of Psychology. Retrieved February 22, 2023, from
https://dictionary.apa.org/
Personality assessment. CliffNotes . Retrieved February 22, 2023, from
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/psychology/psychology/psychology-personality/personality-ass
essment
personality studies done in India. Research Gate. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338766403_Personality_Studies_in_India
purposive sampling.APA Dictionary of Psychology. Retrieved February 22, 2023, from
https://dictionary.apa.org/
DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SKILLS
Appendix
