Wg. Graziano et al., UNKNOWN WORDS IN SELF-REPORTED PERSONALITY - LETHARGIC AND PROVINCIALIN TEXAS, Personality & social psychology bulletin, 24(8), 1998, pp. 893-905
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.