Overview

Many people study psychology because they want to understand themselves and others better. Tools have been developed to assess many aspects of personality. For this assessment, you will take an example of a personality test and write a reflection paper.

Context

Personality tests can be used for a variety of reasons including work placement, hiring, diagnosing and assessing, and simply identifying traits and characteristics. There are a variety of ways that we may administer, score, and interpret personality assessments, ranging from pencil and paper and one-on-one interviews to full computer testing. In order for a test to be useful, it needs to be both valid and reliable so that it consistently measures just what it suggests it measures. In this assessment, you may choose to complete a computer personality assessment. As you are completing the test, think about what you feel like and how that could impact the results. This is a fun and engaging way to help you identify your own strengths and obtain a better understanding of how personality theories can be applied to testing.

Instructions

For purposes of this assessment, you may choose to take an online personality test or think about the results of a similar test you have taken in the past, perhaps related to your educational planning or a job. If you choose to try an online test, go to The SAPA Project website (linked in Resources) and complete the personality test. Retrieve your test results.
Reflect on the relationship between the dimensions and traits that we use to describe human personality.
Write a 23-page reflection paper including the following elements:
Explain the difference between validity and reliability in testing. In other words, do you think this test is valid or reliable?
Analyze the self-assessment experience and results.
What was your experience completing the test?
Did you find the test to be engaging? Were you bored? Did you find it challenging?
Did you tell the truth on every question?
Critically analyze the accuracy of the test results.
Do the results accurately portray your personality traits as you expected?
Do you think a person can consciously change a trait? Explain.
What is the relationship between traits and stages of development? In other words, would you expect to have had the same result ten years ago? How about ten years in the future?
Additional Requirements
Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message. Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations of members of professional communities.
APA formatting: Format resources and citations are according to APA style guidelines.
References: Use a minimum of two APA citations from current (within five years) peer-reviewed sources and scholarly sources.
Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12-point font.
Length of paper: Submit 23 pages. Include a separate title page and reference page.