Personality Assessment and Theories

Personality Assessment and Theories
September 20, 2013

Personality Assessment and Theories
To understand how the personality assessment and theories work one would have to understand what personality is and why each method is different. Personality is an individual’s uniqueness of how one thinks, feels, and behaviors over a period of time and in situations (Morris & Maisto, 2010). The personality assessments are used to measure personalities. It can also be used to assess theories. Some assessment methods used are personal interview, objective tests, projective tests, and direct observations (Morris & Maisto, 2010). Each method is used in the four theories of personality. Social learning theories is ‘when individuals observe others behaviors, attitude, and what the outcomes are.

This method is corresponded with interviews, objective tests, and observation. According to Morris and Maisto, trait Theories is “permanent dispositions within the individual that causes the person to think, feel, and act in characteristic ways”. This theory is corresponded to objective tests. A humanistic personality theory focuses on what drives toward personal growth and higher levels of functioning (Morris & Maisto, 2010). This theory is assessed through objective tests, and personal interviews. Psychodynamic theories measure the unconscious thinking, feeling, and motives of an individual. This theory corresponds with projective tests and personal interviews. The online test that I took would be considered an objective test.

I think that with this objective test answers may not be answers may not be answered honestly. Often times with this type of test individuals will try to answer according to what they think seem to be the better answer. When these type tests are given and answered honestly, the results can be very accurate. In my case, I feel that my results were pretty accurate. I agree with what I have read about the ISFJ descriptions. I consider myself conservative. I do desire to be of service and a minister to individual needs and I think I am very loyal. To name a few things that I found accurate was that I am not confrontational, and I am responsible. I do think that I will take this test again to compare my results. Each individual has a different personality and in order for each of us to understand others we must first get an understanding of our own. There are some assessments that will be accurate and some that will not be as accurate, it all depends on what theory you are using and the results that you are looking for.

Reference
Morris, C. G., & Maisto, A. A. (2010). Understanding psychology (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.