UNKNOWN WORDS IN SELF-REPORTED PERSONALITY - LETHARGIC AND PROVINCIALIN TEXAS

Two multimethod studies probed the structure and correlates of self-re ports of personality when participants were permitted to admit that th ey did not Know assessment words. The first study (1,187 college stude nts) examined the structure of self evaluation using Goldberg's marker s for his five-factor approach. Students reported greatest familiarity with Agreeableness markers and least familiarity with Emotional Stabi lity. The second study (317 young adolescents) used two data sources: (a) individualized, self-paced, computer-based self-evaluations and (b ) teacher ratings and evaluations of adjustment. The assessment (in ei ther English or Spanish) allowed participants to obtain definitions. A dolescents requested the least help with agreeableness markers and the most help with emotional stability. Even with unknown words, and desp ite differences in methodology, similar five-factor structures emerged in both studies. Computer assessment methods, in combination with a f ive-factor approach, may be useful for probing processes that underlie the structure and development of personality and their links to adjus tment.