NCJ Number
52912
Date Published
1976
Length
37 pages
Annotation
AFTER A THEORETICAL CONSIDERATION OF THE DEFINITION OF PERSONALITY AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOR, THIS BOOK CHAPTER REVIEWS CURRENT RESEARCH IN INFLUENCES ON PERSONALITY AND PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT.
Abstract
THE PROBLEMS OF PERSONALITY DEFINITION, PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT, AND PERSONALITY RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED. IN SPITE OF THESE PROBLEMS, PERSONALITY RESEARCH HAS MANAGED TO DEFINE SETS OF VARIABLES WHICH REPRESENT FACTORS PRESENT TO A GREATER OR LESSER EXTENT IN MOST PERSONS. THESE VARIABLES ARE THE CORE OF PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT. A LITERATURE REVIEW COVERS SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH IN THE AREAS OF AUTHORITARIANISM, CONFORMITY, NEEDS VERSUS ACHIEVEMENT, MORAL DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL JUDGMENT, CREATIVITY, ANALYTIC THINKING, AND PROBLEMSOLVING. STUDIES USING NEW PROCEDURES OR NEW APPLICATIONS OF OLDER METHODS INCLUDE STUDIES OF SLEEP AND DREAMING, BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS AFFECTING BEHAVIOR, GENETICS, POPULATION, HEART DISEASE AND THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, AND MANAGERIAL STYLES AND EXECUTIVE EFFECTIVENESS. THE CONCLUSION DISCUSSES THE PROBLEM OF SELECTING APPROPRIATE TESTING MATERIALS FROM THE WIDE VARIETY AVAILABLE. IT IS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE PRACTITIONER OF PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT MUST DEVELOP SKILL IN THE USE AND INTERPRETATION OF THESE TOOLS. AN APPENDIX DESCRIBES A REPRESENTATIVE LISTING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT DEVICES AND GIVES PUBLISHERS' ADDRESSES. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (GLR)