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Theoretical and measurement issues in trait psychology
Larsen/Buss cover

Learning Objectives

Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to:

Identify and discuss three assumptions about personality traits that most trait psychologists share.

Define and discuss situationism. Provide an example of a situationist interpretation of individual behavioral differences.

Discuss the idea of person-situation interaction. Provide an example of an interactionist interpretation of individual behavioral differences.

Define and give an example of situational specificity.

Define and give an example of a strong situation.

Discuss and give examples of selection, evocation, and manipulation as ways in which traits and situations can interact to produce behavior.

Discuss aggregation and why it is now a standard practice among trait psychologists.

Discuss the measurement issue of careless responding and how trait psychologists might address this problem.

Discuss the measurement issue of faking and how trait psychologists might address this problem.

Discuss the measurement issue of response sets and how trait psychologists might address this problem.

Discuss the two major views of socially desirable responding among trait psychologists.

Discuss the application of trait measures to employment selection. What are some of the benefits and liabilities of using traits measures for employment selection?

Discuss the use of the GRE as a means of selecting applicants for admission to graduate school in psychology.

Define and discuss the "criterion problem" that one faces when attempting to use trait measures to predict real-world behavior.

Define and discuss "restriction of range" as a problem one can face when attempting to use trait measures to predict real-world behavior.

Discuss integrity testing as a means of employment selection.