Objective and Projective Test
Objective and Projective Test
Rene' Butler
Kaplan University
Testing, Measurement, and Assessment
PS-505
James Julian
June 30, 2014 Objective and Projective Test
1. The historical use of the terms objective and projective to classify a personality test, and the problems with such classification. Since the beginning of mankind, there have been attempts to figure out how and why people differ. People who study personality traits tend to focus on various aspects of human behaviors such as, social interactions, development, learning, and culture. In addition, they study physiology, genetics, and pathology. They look at all aspects of being human and try to classify, organize, and understand them. Historically they have developed and used projective and objective test to put people into classifications. The two types of tests used to assess personality traits are projective and objective tests. Projective tests use questions that are open-ended and are relatively unstructured. This allows the person being tested to have more freedom to respond in a more detailed manner. Objective tests are very different from projective tests. These tests are very structured questionnaires involving multiple choice, and true or false questions. The tests are scored in a standardized manner based on the assumption that people generally agree on the scores (Cohen, Swerdlik, & Sturman, 2013). These tests leave people very little freedom and choice when responding. The scoring is straight-forward and each answer receives a certain amount of points based on a point scale. Objective tests are a lot more valid and reliable than projective tests. Myer and Kurtz (2006) write, “Objective typically refers to instruments in which the stimulus is an adjective, proposition, or question that is presented to a person who is required to indicate how accurately it describes his or her personality” (p. 223). They believe that projective typically
Rene' Butler
Kaplan University
Testing, Measurement, and Assessment
PS-505
James Julian
June 30, 2014 Objective and Projective Test
1. The historical use of the terms objective and projective to classify a personality test, and the problems with such classification. Since the beginning of mankind, there have been attempts to figure out how and why people differ. People who study personality traits tend to focus on various aspects of human behaviors such as, social interactions, development, learning, and culture. In addition, they study physiology, genetics, and pathology. They look at all aspects of being human and try to classify, organize, and understand them. Historically they have developed and used projective and objective test to put people into classifications. The two types of tests used to assess personality traits are projective and objective tests. Projective tests use questions that are open-ended and are relatively unstructured. This allows the person being tested to have more freedom to respond in a more detailed manner. Objective tests are very different from projective tests. These tests are very structured questionnaires involving multiple choice, and true or false questions. The tests are scored in a standardized manner based on the assumption that people generally agree on the scores (Cohen, Swerdlik, & Sturman, 2013). These tests leave people very little freedom and choice when responding. The scoring is straight-forward and each answer receives a certain amount of points based on a point scale. Objective tests are a lot more valid and reliable than projective tests. Myer and Kurtz (2006) write, “Objective typically refers to instruments in which the stimulus is an adjective, proposition, or question that is presented to a person who is required to indicate how accurately it describes his or her personality” (p. 223). They believe that projective typically
References: American Psychiatric Association, (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author. Benjamin JR, L. T. (2006). Hugo Munsterberg’s Attack on the Application of Scientific Psychology. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(2), 414-425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.91.2.414 Berwin, C Buros Center for Testing. (2015, May 18). Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. Retrieved from Buros Center for Testing: http://marketplace.unl.edu/buros/employee-reliability- Cohen, R. J., Swerdlik, M. E., & Sturman, E. (2013). Psychological Testing and Assessments: An Introduction to Tests and Measurement (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Ehlers, A., Steil, R., Winter, H., & Foa, E. B. (1997). Posttraumatische Diagnoseskala [Posttraumatic diagnosis scale]. , . Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebschohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/dei Korger, C., & Kliem, S Meyer, G. J., & Kurtz, J. E. (2006). Advancing Personality Assessment Terminology: Time to Retire “Objective” and “Projective” As Personality Test Descriptors. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87(3), 223-225 New York: Houghton Mifflin Company