Positive Impression Management and Its Influence on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory: A Comparison of Analog and Differential Prevalence Group Designs.

Participants (n = 22) completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) as part of an authentic job application. Protocols produced by this group were compared with "analog" participants (n = 23) who completed the NEO PI-R under standard instructions and again under instructions designed to mimic the test-taking scenario of the job applicants (the "fake-good" condition). Participants completing the NEO PI-R under fake-good instructions and the job applicants scored lower on the Neuroticism and higher on the Extraversion scales than did the participants responding under standard instructions. Analog participants in the fake-good condition scored higher on the Extraversion and lower on the Agreeableness scales than did the job applicants. These results suggest that outcomes from analog designs are generalizable to real-world samples where response dissimulation is probable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

NEO PI-R personality characteristics of high-performing entry-level police officers.

The NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R; P. T. Costa, Jr., & R. R. McRae, 1992) measures the 5-factor model of personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness) and 30 specific personality facets within these domains. Researchers in personnel selection are beginning to use the NEO PI-R to describe the personality characteristics of high-functioning employees, including police officers. Here, 100 field training officers (FTOs) described the "best" entry-level police officers they had supervised, using the NEO PI-R Form R (Observer form). The resulting profile was notable for low Neuroticism, high Extraversion, and high Conscientiousness. NEO PI-R profiles of very high- and very low-performing entry-level officers were then compared. The low-performing group had higher Neuroticism and lower Conscientiousness scores than the high-performing group. The latter group was notable for low Neuroticism and high Conscientiousness scores that were similar to those obtained from the FTO sample. Results are relevant to identifying personality characteristics of high-performing entry-level police officers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Short-term stability of NEO–PI–R personality trait scores in opioid-dependent outpatients.

The present study examined the short-term stability of personality trait scores from the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO–PI-R) among 230 opioid-dependent outpatients. The NEO–PI-R is a 240-item empirically developed measure of the five-factor model of personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness). Participants completed the NEO–Pl-R at admission and again approximately 19 weeks later. Results indicated fair to good stability for all NEO–PI-R factor domain scores, with coefficients ranging from .68 to .74. Stability of NEO–PI-R scores was decreased among potentially invalid response patterns but was not significantly affected by drug-positive versus drug-negative status at follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of response distortion on preemployment personality testing and hiring decisions.

Response distortion (RD), or faking, among job applicants completing personality inventories has been a concern for selection specialists. In a field study using the NEO Personality Inventory, Revised, the authors show that RD is significantly greater among job applicants than among job incumbents, that there are significant individual differences in RD, and that RD among job applicants can have a significant effect on who is hired. These results are discussed in the context of recent studies suggesting that RD has little effect on the predictive validity of personality inventories. The authors conclude that future research, rather than focusing on predictive validity, should focus instead on the effect of RD on construct validity and hiring decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-cultural replication of the five-factor model and comparison of the NEO-PI-R and MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales in a Dutch psychiatric sample.

The authors investigated cross-cultural replicability of the five-factor model (FFM) of personality as represented by the revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R; P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992) in a sample of 423 Dutch psychiatric patients. Also, NEO-PI-R domain scales were compared with the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5; A. R. Harkness & J. L. McNulty, 1994) scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2 (J. N. Butcher, W. G. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 2002). Principal-components analysis with procrustean rotation confirmed the hypothesized structural similarity of the present sample with the U.S. normative factor scores. All of the hypothesized relations between NEO-PI-R and PSY-5 scales were confirmed. The results provide evidence for cross-cultural replicability of the FFM and for validity of the NEO-PI-R and PSY-5 constructs in the psychological assessment of psychiatric patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of a biographical inventory blank to predict faking on personality tests.

14 Biographical Inventory Blank items significantly predicted the propensity to fake personality inventories in a socially desirable manner, as measured by the K Scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personal Inventory. Item analyses were performed on the responses of 76 job applicants, and the derived scoring weights were cross-validated on the responses of 42 other job applicants (r = .66, p     

The structure and temporal stability of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale.

In this study, the authors examined the factor structure and temporal stability of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS; G. L. Flett, P. L. Hewitt, D. J. Boucher, L. A. Davidson, & Y. Munro, 1997) in 2 samples of adolescents (15–16 years old). In Sample 1 (n = 624), confirmatory factor analysis did not support a 2-factor structure (self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism). As in B. T. McCreary, T. E. Joiner, N. B. Schmidt, & N. S. Ialongo (2004), reanalysis suggested a 3-factor solution (i.e., socially prescribed perfectionism, self-oriented–Striving perfectionism, self-oriented–Critical perfectionism). The authors validated their 3-factor model in an independent replication sample (Sample 2; n = 514) and confirmed that the 3-factor structure was invariant across gender and time (test–retest over 6 months). Taking these analyses together, the authors concluded that their discriminant 3-factor structure is robust. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. More research on the predictive validity of the CAPS is suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Between facets and domains: 10 aspects of the Big Five.

Factor analyses of 75 facet scales from 2 major Big Five inventories, in the Eugene-Springfield community sample (N=481), produced a 2-factor solution for the 15 facets in each domain. These findings indicate the existence of 2 distinct (but correlated) aspects within each of the Big Five, representing an intermediate level of personality structure between facets and domains. The authors characterized these factors in detail at the item level by correlating factor scores with the International Personality Item Pool (L. R. Goldberg, 1999). These correlations allowed the construction of a 100-item measure of the 10 factors (the Big Five Aspect Scales [BFAS]), which was validated in a 2nd sample (N=480). Finally, the authors examined the correlations of the 10 factors with scores derived from 10 genetic factors that a previous study identified underlying the shared variance among the Revised NEO Personality Inventory facets (K. L. Jang et al., 2002). The correspondence was strong enough to suggest that the 10 aspects of the Big Five may have distinct biological substrates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Big Five in personnel selection: Factor structure in applicant and nonapplicant populations.

Recent personnel selection studies have focused on the 5-factor model of personality. However, the stability of this factor structure in job applicant populations has not been determined. Conceptual and empirical evidence has suggested that similar factor structures should not be assumed across testing situations that have different purposes or consequences. A study was conducted that used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the fit of the 5-factor model to NEO Five-Factor Inventory (P. T. Costa and R. R. McCrae, 1989) test data from student and applicant samples. The 5-factor structure fit the student data but did not fit the applicant data. The existence of an ideal-employee factor in the applicant sample is suggested. The findings are discussed in terms of both construct validity issues and the use of the Big Five in personnel selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-cultural generalizability of personality dimensions: relating indigenous and imported dimensions in two cultures

The cross-cultural generalizability of personality dimensions was investigated by (a) identifying indigenous Philippine dimensions, (b) testing the cross-cultural replicability of the NEO 5-factor model (P. T. Costa & R.R. McCrae, 1992), and (c) relating Philippine and Western dimensions in Philippine and U.S. samples of college students. Filipino self-ratings (N = 536) on indigenous items were factor analyzed, and 6 Philippine dimensions were obtained. Conclusions about the replicability of the 5-factor model in the Philippines (N = 432) depended on whether exploratory, Procrustes, or confirmatory factor methods were used. In regression and joint factor analyses, moderate to strong associations were found between the Philippine dimensions and (a) dimensions from the 5-factor model in both Philippine (N = 387) and U.S. (N = 610) samples, and (b) the Tellegen model (A. Tellegen, 1985; A. Tellegen & N.G. Waller, in press) in a U.S. sample (N = 603).     

WAIS—R factor structure in psychiatric and general medical patients.

Examined the factor structure of the WAIS—R in a sample of 200 general medical (GM) patients and 271 psychiatric patients. The mean age of the Ss was 38.9 yrs. Results of 2- and 3-factor principal factor solutions with varimax rotations were compared to the factor structure of the WAIS—R normative sample (n?=?1,880) and a sample of vocational counseling patients (n?=?84), as well as an additional sample of psychiatric patients (n?=?114). Across all of these samples, coefficients of congruence for the 1st 2 factors (Verbal, Performance) were .97 or greater, and coefficients of congruence for the 3rd factor (Freedom From Distractability) ranged from .93 to .97. Results indicate that the WAIS—R has a robust factor structure and provides empirical evidence for the existence of Verbal, Performance, and Freedom From Distractability factors on the WAIS—R in psychiatric and medical populations. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Are cross-cultural comparisons of personality profiles meaningful? Differential item and facet functioning in the Revised NEO Personality Inventory.

Measurement invariance is a prerequisite for confident cross-cultural comparisons of personality profiles. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to detect differential item functioning (DIF) in factor loadings and intercepts for the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (P. T. Costa, Jr., & R. R. McCrae, 1992) in comparisons of college students in the United States (N = 261), Philippines (N = 268), and Mexico (N = 775). About 40%–50% of the items exhibited some form of DIF and item-level noninvariance often carried forward to the facet level at which scores are compared. After excluding DIF items, some facet scales were too short or unreliable for cross-cultural comparisons, and for some other facets, cultural mean differences were reduced or eliminated. The results indicate that considerable caution is warranted in cross-cultural comparisons of personality profiles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality trait structure as a human universal.

Patterns of covariation among personality traits in English-speaking populations can be summarized by the five-factor model (FFM). To assess the cross-cultural generalizability of the FFM, data from studies using 6 translations of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992) were compared with the American factor structure. German, Portuguese, Hebrew, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese samples (N?=?7,134) showed similar structures after varimax rotation of 5 factors. When targeted rotations were used, the American factor structure was closely reproduced, even at the level of secondary loadings. Because the samples studied represented highly diverse cultures with languages from 5 distinct language families, these data strongly suggest that personality trait structure is universal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A field study of frame-of-reference effects on personality test validity.

As part of a test validation study at a major U.S.-based airline, the authors tested the effects of providing an "at work" frame-of-reference on the validity of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory among a sample of customer service supervisors (N = 206). Frame-of-reference moderated the validity of the Extraversion and Openness to Experience subscales after controlling for cognitive ability. In addition, the frame-of-reference personality test showed incremental validity over cognitive ability (ΔR2 = .16), but the standard personality test did not (ΔR2 = .05). The authors' discussion focuses on implications for personality theory and research and on implications for increasing the validity of personality tests in organizational settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the MMPI-2 Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5), the NEO-PI, and the NEO-PI—R.

This study examined relations between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5; A. R. Harkness, J. L. McNulty, & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 1995), NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI; P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1985), and the revised NEO-PI (NEO-PI—R; P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992) scores in community (N?=?170) and clinical (N?=?57) samples. In the clinical sample, the temporal stability of the scales and their associations with personality disorder symptom counts were also assessed. Correlations between the two instruments demonstrated meaningful relations between the two sets of constructs in both samples. Both instruments showed substantial stability over 6 months, and both were significant and substantial predictors of symptom counts for most personality disorders. The data support the reinterpretation of personality disorders in terms of underlying dimensions of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A field study of job applicants' reactions to personality and cognitive ability testing.

Eighty job applicants were screened through 1 of 3 job-selection conditions depending on the job for which they were applying: interviews only; interviews plus a personality inventory (the NEO Personality Inventory); or interviews, personality inventory, and cognitive ability testing. Applicants' reactions were generally favorable in all conditions but were significantly less positive in the interview plus personality test condition. The condition of a battery of both personality and ability tests (in addition to the interview) was perceived as positively as the no-test control condition. These results suggest that personality inventories can be included in employee-selection procedures without creating adverse reactions among job applicants as long as they are used in conjunction with ability tests. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Replication of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third edition four-factor model in the Canadian normative sample.

Confirmatory factor analyses of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition (WISC—III; D. Wechsler, 1991) subtests, using the Canadian normative sample, were conducted to verify the 4-factor model identified for WISC—III in the U.S. normative sample. Because the items and test materials for WISC—III were identical in both samples, this study focused on replication of the factor model across national samples. The Canadian normative sample (N?=?1,100) was a stratified random sample of Canadian children, ages 6 to 16. Results for the Canadian sample paralleled those found in the U.S. sample (N?=?2,200) and confirmed the presence of the 4 factors previously identified (Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Processing Speed, and Freedom From Distractibility). This article also provides justification for the scoring and clinical use of WISC—III factor indexes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Taxometric and factor analytic models of anxiety sensitivity: Integrating approaches to latent structural research.

This study represents an effort to better understand the latent structure of anxiety sensitivity (AS), as indexed by the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; S. Reiss, R. A. Peterson, M. Gursky, & R. J. McNally, 1986), by using taxometric and factor-analytic approaches in an integrative manner. Taxometric analyses indicated that AS has a taxonic latent class structure (i.e., a dichotomous latent class structure) in a large sample of North American adults (N = 2,515). As predicted, confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a multidimensional 3-factor model of AS provided a good fit for the AS complement class (normative or low-risk form) but not the AS taxon class (high-risk form). Exploratory factor analytic results suggested that the AS taxon may demonstrate a unique, unidimensional factor solution, though there are alternative indications that it may be characterized by a 2-factor solution. Findings suggest that the latent structural nature of AS can be conceptualized as a taxonic latent class structure composed of 2 types or forms of AS, each of these forms characterized by its own unique latent continuity and dimensional structure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development and examination of an expectancy-based measure of test-taking motivation.

A 10-item multidimensional measure of test-taking motivation based on expectancy theory, the Valence, Instrumentality, Expectancy Motivation Scale (VIEMS), was developed using a student sample (N?=?90) and tested using 2 samples of job applicants in a field setting (N?=?296; N?=?246). In Field Study 1, the VIEMS was related to test performance. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the VIEMS explained variance in test score beyond a general measure of test motivation. In a second longitudinal field study, pretest and posttest perceptions of motivation were compared. Results indicated that expectancy was related to actual test performance, and perceived test performance accounted for variance in posttest reports of motivation after controlling for pretest levels of motivation. Test-taking motivation did not account for variance in test performance differences between African Americans and Whites in either field study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)