PAPER #3
Dr. Zickar Psychology 201- Due April. 15, 2003
The Big Five Personality Dimensions
In this paper we want you to consider the relevance of the Big Five personality dimensions in assessing yourself, people that you know, and people from the popular culture. In addition, we want you to assess yourself and someone else that you know using the personality scale administered to you in class.
Part 1.
List and describe the Big Five personality dimensions. Explain what each of the dimensions means and then give examples of behaviors that would be exhibited by someone high on that dimension and behaviors that would be exhibited by someone low on that dimension. Do not use examples described in book, lecture, or discussion section (10 points).
Part 2.
Administer the Goldberg 40-item personality inventory to yourself and to a friend or acquaintance. Describe whether the personality test results fit in with your conception of yourself and also your conception of your friends. How do the results confirm what you believed? In what ways, does the test fail to describe your and your friend's personalities? What would be a better method for determining someone's personality? (10 points)
Grammar (5 points).
Make sure to type your paper. The paper should be double-space, written in 10 or 12-point font, with 1-inch margins. The paper should be at least 2 pages in length. It should include a title, name, date and discussion time. I will be taking points off for incorrect grammar, spelling, and clarity. PLEASE BE SURE TO STAPLE YOUR PAPER.
How Accurately Can You Describe Yourself?
Please use this list of common human traits to describe yourself as accurately as possible. Describe yourself as you see yourself at the present time, not as you wish to be in the future. Describe yourself as you are generally or typically, as compared with other persons you know of the same sex and of roughly your same age.
Before each trait, please write a number indicating how accurately that trait describes you, using the following rating scale:
0 –Not Accurate 1--Accurate
___ Bashful___Energetic___Moody___Systematic
___ Bold___Envious___Organized___Talkative
___ Careless___Extraverted___Philosophical___Temperamental
___ Cold___Fretful ___Practical___Touchy
___ Complex___Harsh___Quiet___Uncreative
___ Cooperative___Imaginative___Relaxed___Unenvious
___ Creative___Inefficient___Rude___Unintellectual
___ Deep___Intellectual___Shy___Unsympathetic
___ Disorganized ___Jealous___Sloppy___Warm
___ Efficient___Kind___Sympathetic___Withdrawn
How Accurately Can You Describe Yourself?
Please use this list of common human traits to describe yourself as accurately as possible. Describe yourself as you see yourself at the present time, not as you wish to be in the future. Describe yourself as you are generally or typically, as compared with other persons you know of the same sex and of roughly your same age.
Before each trait, please write a number indicating how accurately that trait describes you, using the following rating scale:
0 –Not Accurate 1--Accurate
___ Bashful___Energetic___Moody___Systematic
___ Bold___Envious___Organized___Talkative
___ Careless___Extraverted___Philosophical___Temperamental
___ Cold___Fretful ___Practical___Touchy
___ Complex___Harsh___Quiet___Uncreative
___ Cooperative___Imaginative___Relaxed___Unenvious
___ Creative___Inefficient___Rude___Unintellectual
___ Deep___Intellectual___Shy___Unsympathetic
___ Disorganized ___Jealous___Sloppy___Warm
___ Efficient___Kind___Sympathetic___Withdrawn
Scoring the Personality Inventory
You will be given scores on five personality dimensions. Each item corresponds to one of the five dimensions. If you answer 1 to an item with a “+” in the blank, add 1 to your running tally for the trait with the letter following the “+” sign. If the item has a “-“ in the blank, add 1 to your running tally for the trait only if you answered 0 for that item.
0 –Not Accurate 1--Accurate
-E_ Bashful+E_Energetic+N_Moody+C_Systematic
+E_ Bold+N_Envious+C_Organized+E_Talkative
-C_ Careless+E_Extraverted+O_Philosophical+N_Temperamental
-A_ Cold+N_Fretful +C_Practical+N_Touchy
+O_ Complex-A_Harsh-E_Quiet-O_Uncreative
+A_ Cooperative+O_Imaginative-N_Relaxed-N_Unenvious
+O_ Creative-C_Inefficient-A_Rude-O_Unintellectual
+O_ Deep+O_Intellectual-E_Shy-A_Unsympathetic
-C_ Disorganized +N_Jealous-C_Sloppy+A_Warm
+C_ Efficient+A_Kind+A_Sympathetic-E_ Withdrawn
Openness to Experience (O):______
Conscientiousness (C): ______
Extraversion (E): ______
Agreeableness (A):______
Neuroticism (N): ______
These scores are rough approximations to your personality. This personality inventory has few items per trait. If your personality was being professionally assessed, an inventory with many more items would be given to you.
Low: 0 - 2
Average: 3 - 5
High: 6 - 8