| Abstract: | Two recent articles by M. Burisch (1984, American Psychologist, 37, 214–227; 1984, Journal of Research in Personality, 18, 81–98) have presented data bearing on the traditional methods by which personality is assessed. Based on a review of selected empirical studies and analyses of new data, Burisch has concluded that (a) single-item global self-ratings generally yield greater coefficients of criterion validity than questionnaire measures of the same traits, and (b) most existing personality questionnaires can be shortened considerably without any consequent loss in validity. These conclusions stand in direct contrast to previous appeals by Epstein and others for the use of extensive aggregate measures of personality derived according to the axioms of psychometric theory. In response to Burisch, we describe measurement artifacts and strategies of test item selection that account for some of his conclusions and we reiterate the need for the application of conventional construct-based questionnaires in the assessment of personality. |
