Nowadays, the field of psychology has a myriad of theories that were introduced by the brightest psychologists worldwide. Additionally, when it comes to the study of human character and personality, many psychologists offer their perspectives and approaches to the study. In his book, Bem P. Allen defined a set of standards for assessing personality. According to the author, like in any field, science is a significant source of guidelines in psychology (Allen, 2016). As a result, the first step is to make impartial observations that are defined to enable systematic analysis and are a prerequisite for research (Allen, 2016). In order to determine how to treat a particular individual or to gather knowledge that could apply to other individuals, the case history technique entails gathering additional context about and conducting extensive observations of a specific person (Allen, 2016). Other methods that are used to study personalities are correlational and experimental methods that require variables. Lastly, among the most popular ways to study personality is through personality tests. These might include objective and projective tests.
In projective tests, like the well-known Rorschach inkblot test, an individual must provide spontaneous responses that project their personality onto an external cue. Patients’ replies will be impacted by unconscious wants, sentiments, and memories if they are asked to explain or analyze “ambiguous stimuli” (Watson, 2022, para.18). Also, objective tests are used to study a patient’s personality. However, these tests are based on standardized questions, and the results are evaluated and reviewed. Still, projective tests are typically more difficult and time-consuming to conduct than objective tests (Watson, 2022). There has been much debate over the reliability of the Rorschach test (Watson, 2022). Many contend that it falls short of offering additional information beyond more accessible sources, such as those found in conventional self-reported assessments.
Lastly, from the readings, the section that caught my attention was the one regarding human diversity and its impact on psychology. According to Allen, the term “human diversity” describes the wide range of cultures, gender identities, and sexualities that represents the population in different nations (Allen, 2016). However, the author goes further by stating that experiments and concepts will perform better if people consider diversity. Indeed, though people nowadays embrace diversity, there needs to be more incorporation of it into different fields. Consequently, it will be beneficial for all parts of life.
References
Allen, B. P. (2016). Personality theories: Development, growth, and diversity (5th ed.). Psychology Press. Web.
Watson, D. (2022). Personality assessment. Noba. Web.