Validation of graphoanalysis by "global" or "holistic" method.

Graphoanalysis is the most systematically developed and best researched of all methods of handwriting analysis (genetically called graphology). This is a projective expressive movement that is neither better nor more poorly validated than most projective techniques as a means of personality assessment, which is inadequate because their subjectivity makes statistical study difficult. With all projective techniques "sign" or trait validation has been minimal, and the best validation has come from "global" or "holistic" methods. The present study presents a paradigm for the latter type of approach to handwriting analysis, using a matching technique with probabilities of 1/5, wherein five subjects were matched by people who knew them to one of five blind Graphoanalyses of the subjects' writing. This design is herein replicated five times, with total data significantly different from chance expectation (p less than .001), supporting the hypothesis that it is possible to evaluate personality through analysis of handwriting.     

Illusory correlations in graphological inference

The authors investigate the illusory correlation phenomenon as a possible contributor to the persistence of graphology's use to predict personality. Participants unfamiliar with graphology inspected handwriting samples paired with fabricated personality profiles. In Experiment 1, handwriting samples and personality profiles were randomly paired. In Experiment 2, discernible correlations near unity were set between targeted handwriting-feature-personality-trait pairs in a congruent or incongruent direction with graphologists' claims. In both experiments, participants' judgments of the correlation between designated handwriting-feature-personality-trait pairs agreed with graphologists' claims, even after controlling for their actual statistical association. Semantic association between words used to describe handwriting features and personality traits was the source of biases in perceived correlation. Results may partially account for continued use of graphology despite overwhelming evidence against its predictive validity.     

Should We Write Off Graphology?

The scientific study of graphology (handwriting analysis) has had a long history. Many practitioners believe that graphology is a valuable selection aid and use this technique in a selection context, and in some European countries it is quite well thought of. While a few articles have proposed that graphology is a valid and useful selection technique, the overwhelming results of well-controlled empirical studies have been that the technique has not demonstrated acceptable validity. A review of relevant literature regarding both theory and research indicates that, while the procedure may have an intuitive appeal, graphology should not be used in a selection context.     

Applicant Reactions in Selection: Comprehensive meta‐analysis into reaction generalization versus situational specificity

This paper reports a comprehensive quantitative summary into applicant reactions to popular methods of employee selection. A detailed search of published and unpublished studies resulted in a final sample (k) of 38 independent samples covering 10 popular candidate assessment methods. Applicant reactions primary studies included samples from 17 countries internationally. Counter to previous suggestions for the situational specificity of applicant reactions, findings showed considerable similarity supporting the reaction generalizability hypothesis. Reaction favorability was structurally similar across countries and revealed a three‐tier clustering of overall favorability perceptions –most preferred (work samples, interviews), favorably evaluated (resumes, cognitive tests, references, biodata, personality inventories), and least preferred (honesty tests, personal contacts, graphology). Some differences in applicant reactions to dimension‐specific perceptions were found, however. Further analyses revealed strong positive correlations between favorability ratings and their validity and international usage. Implications for future research and ramifications for practice are considered in conclusion.     

Validity and Stability of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory in a Nonforensic Sample of Young Adults

Scores were obtained for 103 Subjects on the Sixteen Personality Factor test, Form C; the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule; the Otis Quick Scoring Test, Form G; Raven's Progressive Matrices, Sets A-E; and on 47 handwriting variables. First, personality and intelligence variables, then handwriting variables were factored and rotated, after which factor scores were obtained. Through a regression of handwriting from personality and intelligence factor scores, it was found that 6 of 16 handwriting factors could be predicted by 5 of 10 personality and intelligence factors. These results and their relation to graphology are discussed.     

计算机时代的书写心理学

计算机的普及使人们阅读及书写的能力降低, 这引发了社会对书写的关注。书写涉及大量高级神经活动, 与认知、人格、疾病等均有关联, 对个体发展也具有重要作用。现代书写心理学通过使用书写板等设备, 实现了对书写过程及结果的量化研究, 发现了书写速度、压力、握笔等指标与智力、认知负荷等的一些关联。未来对书写过程的研究可以进一步深入; 测量方面的研究成果可以应用到日常人机交互及教学、司法等实践中; 还可以研究用书写促进个体认知及人格发展的具体途径。     

Systèmes de personnalité au niveau de l'individu : vers une évaluation de l'architecture sociocognitive de la personnalité

This paper addresses conceptual strategies in the assessment of intra-individual personality architecture, including the assessment of those social-cognitive structures and dynamics that contribute to personality coherence. The paper also relates social-cognitive analyses of intra-individual personality architecture to trait-theoretic analyses of inter-individual differences in the population. An overarching theme is that these alternative research traditions should be understood as approaches to different scientific problems. Unlike, for example, the lexical Big Five tradition of personality research, social-cognitive theories are concerned fundamentally with mental structures and dynamics that causally contribute to personality functioning and coherence, and with understanding how these cognitive and affective systems develop and function in interaction with the social environment. As has been explained by Lamiell (2003) and others, inter-individual analyses cannot substitute for the study of intra-individual personality dynamics and dispositions.     

Reasons for Being Selective When Choosing Personnel Selection Procedures

The scientist–practitioner gap in personnel selection is large. Thus, it is important to gain a better understanding of the reasons that make organizations use or not use certain selection procedures. Based on institutional theory, we predicted that six variables should determine the use of selection procedures: the procedures' diffusion in the field, legal problems associated with the procedures, applicant reactions to the procedures, their usefulness for organizational self‐promotion, their predictive validity, and the costs involved. To test these predictions, 506 HR professionals from the German‐speaking part of Switzerland filled out an online survey on the selection procedures used in their organizations. Respondents also evaluated five procedures (semi‐structured interviews, ability tests, personality tests, assessment centers, and graphology) on the six predictor variables. Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that the highest odd ratios belonged to the factors applicant reactions, costs, and diffusion. Lower (but significant) odds ratios belonged to the factors predictive validity, organizational self‐promotion, and perceived legality.     

Assessing normal and abnormal personality functioning: strengths and weaknesses of self-report, observer, and performance-based methods

Assessing personality characteristics; distinguishing the boundaries between normal and abnormal functioning; identifying impairment in the domains of work, interpersonal relationships, and emotional state due to maladaptive personality traits; and translating these findings into effective, appropriate treatment interventions is a complicated endeavor. Valid, reliable conclusions about an individual's personality functioning and adjustment cannot be reached unless one has accurate information about that person's patterns of behavior, cognitions, emotions, and interpersonal relationships. I discuss strengths and weaknesses of assessment approaches utilizing explicit assessment methods, such as self-report measures and clinical interviews; information obtained from knowledgeable observers; and performance-based, implicit assessment methods such as the Rorschach Comprehensive System (Exner, 2003). In contrast to explicit methods of assessment, implicit methods can provide salient information about a personality construct whether or not individuals have accurately conceptualized that construct, have weighed how the construct describes them, are self-aware, and are willing to openly provide information relevant to that construct. I propose that the accuracy of conclusions about an individual's personality style, problems in adjustment, and treatment needs may be improved if conclusion are based on a multimethod assessment approach that incorporates information gathered using explicit assessment methods, information provided by significant others, and data from performance-based or implicit measures of personality.     

Étude des déterminants personnels du comportement scolaire de l'élève : test d'un modèle structural

This study aims to grasp and understand the role of some personal features and some dynamical mechanisms of the personality in the determination of the pupil's academic behaviour. A general model is developed and tested, on a sample of 336 elementary school pupils, with respect to three principles: causal order, association and non-artificiality. The data analysis is then refined by developing a structural model. The results prove that the dynamical mechanisms of the personality relating to the affective entry characteristics should be considered as dependent and independent variables. They allow to identify the principal personal determinants of pupil rowdyism, reaction toward class, making friends and academic achievement.     

Psychobiographical assessment

Psychobiography, the analysis of public persons by competent clinicians, is discussed as a possible assessment technique. Its re-emergence has emanated from recent attempts to psychoanalyze President Nixon, Adolph Hitler, and Emily Dickinson. Its position in relation to traditional personality assessment is considered as well as major previous efforts. Psychobiography is now a part of the curriculum at several leading universities and suggestions are made for future work. Because clinically unsophisticated writers from other disciplines are currently pursuing the trend, clinical psychologists should become involved to provide society with a more accurate psychological perspective.     

中国人格量表编制的本土化研究

为了深入探究中国人人格特质与结构,并编制本土化人格量表; 本文综合QZPS、CPAI-2及CPFFI的因素命名特征,编制出包含116个项目的人格词汇评定表。通过对1455名被试人格词汇评定结果的探索性分析,最终确定7个维度的人格词汇评定量表。该该量表7个因素对总变异的贡献率为51.63%,内部一致性信度在0.663-0.912之间,总量表的内部一致性信度为0.800; 7个因素的重测信度在0.700～0.874(p<0.001)之间。研究结果显示情绪性与外向性两个人格特质是人们共有的人格特质内容,该人格量表中的其他人格因素既有与西方人格因素趋同的方面,也有中国文化背景下本土化内容。同QZPS、CPAI-2及CPFFI相比,该人格因素结构几乎可以包含以上3个模型的绝大多数人格因素内容,且结构清晰全面。     

The personality disorders: A review and critique of contemporary assessment strategies

Despite the prevalence of personality disorders, only recently have they become the topic of extensive clinical research. Unfortunately, much of this research suffers from various assessment problems including poor interrater agreement, an overreliance on cross-sectional assessment, and inconsistencies across measures. The present review examines the strategies used to assess personality disorders. Three comprehensive tables are used to provide a quantitative review of existing studies. Although specific measures are examined, the focus remains on general strategies for assessment. Personality disorder assessment may be enhanced through the use of aggregation methods. Aggregating over raters can reduce the subjective biases inherent in any one person's perception. Aggregating data over time reduces the instability of personality assessment, while aggregating data across measures reduces the reliance on any one measure to assess personality disorders accurately. Thus, future research should be able to refine the strategies used to study personality disorders.     

Personality of Subjects Who Volunteer for Research on a Drug (Mescaline)

Summary: Psychobiography, the analysis of public persons by competent clinicians, is discussed as a possible assessment technique. Its re-emergence has emanated from recent attempts to psychoanalyze President Nixon, Adolph Hitler, and Emily Dickinson. Its position in relation to traditional personality assessment is considered as well as major previous efforts. Psychobiography is now a part of the curriculum at several leading universities and suggestions are made for future work. Because clinically unsophisticated writers from other disciplines are currently pursuing the trend, clinical psychologists should become involved to provide society with a more accurate psychological perspective.     

La psychologie contemporaine des « traits » dans le cadre de la recherche néogaltonienne : comment elle est censée fonctionner et pourquoi en réalité elle ne fonctionne pas

For its epistemic integrity as a framework for scientific personality studies, contemporary trait psychology requires the assumption that aggregate statistical patterns gleaned from correlational studies of individual differences constitute an epistemic “window” onto what is transpiring with the individuals comprising that aggregate. This assumption is the cornerstone of the “neogaltonian” paradigm for psychological research (Danziger, 1987) in terms of which Cronbach (1957) famously called for a merger of scientific psychology's experimental and the correlational disciplines. In the present contribution, this perspective on personality studies is submitted to close critical scrutiny and shown to be scientifically untenable. It is argued that a viable science of personality will be one focused on persons and not on individual differences variables.     

Personality as manifest in word use: correlations with self-report, acquaintance report, and behavior

The use of words is one of the most direct means of expressing thoughts and feelings. However, past studies have had limited success in correlating word use with personality. The purpose of the present study was to identify categories of word use relevant to personality using a broad range of personality data. Using data from 181 participants, the present study correlated word use within a 1-hr life history interview with self-judgments of personality, judgments of personality provided by close acquaintances (who were not exposed to the language sample), and behavioral ratings based on direct observation from a context entirely separate from that from which the language sample was derived. Several categories of word use yielded a large number of correlates with self- and acquaintance personality ratings and behavior. It is suggested that word use is related to personality to a larger degree than previously observed and deserves increased attention as a source of data in personality assessment.     

Applicant Reactions to Selection Procedures: An Updated Model and Meta-Analysis

An updated theoretical model of applicant reactions to selection procedures is proposed and tested using meta-analysis. Results from 86 independent samples  ( N = 48,750)  indicated that applicants who hold positive perceptions about selection are more likely to view the organization favorably and report stronger intentions to accept job offers and recommend the employer to others. Applicant perceptions were positively correlated with actual and perceived performance on selection tools and with self-perceptions. The average correlation between applicant perceptions and gender, age, and ethnic background was near zero. Face validity and perceived predictive validity were strong predictors of many applicant perceptions including procedural justice, distributive justice, attitudes towards tests, and attitudes towards selection. Interviews and work samples were perceived more favorably than cognitive ability tests, which were perceived more favorably than personality inventories, honesty tests, biodata, and graphology. The discussion identifies remaining theoretical and methodological issues as well as directions for future research.     

Equivalence of unproctored internet testing and proctored paper‐and‐pencil testing of the Big Five

The use of unproctored Internet‐based testing (IBT) for personality assessment is increasingly popular, especially in personnel selection. Previous studies on its equivalence to traditional proctored paper‐and‐pencil testing (PPT) have used between‐subjects designs, which makes it difficult to separate intergroup effects from format effects, and have shown mixed results. The aim of the present study was to assess the quantitative, qualitative, and auxiliary equivalence of unproctored IBT and proctored PPT of personality, using a within‐sample design. Undergraduate students (n = 407) completed both an Internet and a paper‐and‐pencil version of a measure of the Big Five, with a 1 to 3 week interval. The proctored paper‐and‐pencil assessment was completed in class and the unproctored Internet assessment was completed at the time and place chosen by the participants. Results showed effect sizes for mean differences to vary from null to small. Skewness and kurtosis indices, reliability coefficients, intercorrelations magnitudes, as well as factor solutions, were highly similar across formats. Respondents did not prefer IBT over PPT on a series of statement about their perceptions and reactions to IBT. In conclusion, results suggest that IBT and PPT of the Big Five personality traits are equivalent, and that the data obtained are comparable across formats.