Consistency,self-consciousness,and the predictive validity of typical and maximal personality measures

Most personality measures which ask for subjects' typical performance have often not been effective as predictors of criterion behaviors. Based upon the maximal performance model of ability tests, predictors were constructed which required subjects to report both how dominant they typically are in a particular situation and how dominant they are capable of acting. The efficacy of these typical and maximal self-reports in predicting typical and maximal expressions of dominance in the laboratory was compared. Self-reports of maximal dominance tended to outpredict self-reports of typical dominance for both typical and maximal laboratory expressions of dominance. In addition, maximal self-reports were of equal predictive validity for both those subjects reporting themselves as consistent in expressing dominance and those reporting themselves as inconsistent (situationally variable). Finally, the extent to which subjects were self-reflective (private self-consciousness) and concerned about their appearance to others (public self-consciousness) mediated the validity of both their typical and maximal self-reports, although the predictive superiority of maximal self-reports was maintained.