In the discussion forum analyze and briefly explain the Big 5 Personality Test as a scientific tool.
The Big 5 personality test is an example of how learning things about yourself can help you develop as a person by either being able to focus on your strengths or to understand your weaknesses. The Big 5 Personality Test has 5 areas of concern which are openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neurotic-ism also known as emotional stability. When individuals take this test, they are answering questions about how strongly they agree or disagree with a statement. By viewing the individuals results, it becomes visible certain things about themselves such as how they work under pressure, how they react to stressors, how they feel about other people’s feelings, if they are introverted or extroverted and how structured they are in their mannerisms.
Detail your experience with both the online and document versions and give your opinion as to which of the two provided the better experience. Be sure to cite specific reasons for your statements.
I completed both the online and the document versions and the Big 5 test, and I liked some things about both. I generally liked the online version better because that is how I am most used to taking surveys although I feel like some of the questions were the same and just reworded and I was kind of confused by the time I got to the end about what I had answered. I think this is beneficial for the research because it may provide them with more information although the participant could be like me and get confused and then click random answers and be done with it. I think that the document version is nice because in a way you can look at your own results and see which sides of the big 5 traits you are closer to, although I could see where individuals could use this to their advantage and put down the answers they wanted to make themselves appear different than they really are. Although both tests have strong points and weak points, I personally prefer the online version. I feel more comfortable answering the questions honestly because no one can look back what I wrote and no one would be watching my answers.
Using the PSY600 Making Sense of the Big 5 Personality Short Form tool as a guide, analyze the results from your document version.
(Note: This is for educational purposes. There is no right or wrong personality type.)
In my own written version of the Big 5, openness was kind of hard for me to interpret my results.
I was pretty much neutral on this one. I had written that I enjoyed the idea of lifelong learning, although I had difficulty understanding abstract ideas so this had me floating around somewhere in the middle. For conscientiousness, I was very structured. All of my answers were on the far left of the table which says I am very orderly, organized, and predictable except for keeping my bedroom orderly, not sure what that means. For extroversion, I was more on the side of being extroverted which indicated I am not reserved and prefer large group meetings. On the scale of agreeableness, I am closer on the side of empathetic which says I focus on concerns and feelings of the people involved when I am making conclusions.
In the last table for neuroticism (emotional stability), I was on the far left end of emotionally reactive. This indicated that I am not stressed and no conflict in my work environment and that I do not respond strongly to stress.
Assess how accurate the results are based on your understanding of yourself and the results as analyzed.
I feel like the results were pretty true to how I see myself. I have way of not allowing stress to control my life and finding something to take away stress, like exercising. I am also very predictable, and my family do not even ask what I am doing because it is usually homework. I think that by looking at my results I was able to really think about who I am and the things I do.
Refute any areas with which you disagree providing examples which may disprove the assessment results.
Evaluate the contemporary applications of personality tests today using the information provided in the United States Office of Personnel
Management (n.d.) article on assessment and selection.
In the article on assessment and selection by the United States Office of Personnel Management, it mentions how personality tests can be a useful tool for companies or business as a way to get to know their prospective employees and establish if they would be a good fit for the job.
The article mentions that depending on the job in consideration, the personality traits that are the most important can change. I had never thought about having to complete a personality test for a job I was applying for. It seems beneficial in some ways but I have my doubts. I think that if the employers were only using this as a secondary tool and still considering the applicant’s other resources such as references and job history, than it would be a wonderful tool to help see where they would best fit in the company. Although as mentioned in the article, there are some things to consider when using a personality test in this setting. The companies need to be sure to include all of the big 5 because where an individual may appear strong in one area, they may be weak in another. The individual who is applying for the job may also feel that being asked to take a personality test is a breach of confidentiality and may feel completely uncomfortable completing the assessment.
Assess how knowing one’s personality type can benefit them personally and professionally.
I think that by knowing your own personality type can be very beneficial on both the personal and profession level. I think in the professional level, by understand your own personality you will be better prepared to find a career that would be the best fit for you and maybe what careers would not be the best for your personality type. It may be able to provide insight into if you are comfortable working with a group or if you would work better by yourself. Personally, I think that knowing your personality can be beneficial in your relationships. Although some say opposites attract and some say that you need to have things in common with your spouse, I know that my husband and I were asked to do personality tests in marriage counseling before the preacher would agree to marry us.
It was not to see if we were similar, it was so that we could look at each other’s tests and see where there were differences and know what to expect in the future.
References
Chapter 7: The personologists. (2006). In R. Harré, Key thinkers in psychology. London, United Kingdom:
Sage UK. Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sageutp/chapter 7
United States Office of Personnel Management. (n.d.). Assessment & selection: Other assessment
methods. Retrieved from https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/assessment-and-
selection/other-assessment-methods/personality-tests/