Over the decades, psychologists seek to measure personality trait using objective tests and projective measures. However, with the advancement in the science of personality assessment, these historical practices should end from formal use because some of these connotations are misleading for personality assessment methods and instruments (Meyer |& Kutz, 2006). Objective and projective personality terminologies carry multiple undefined traits that can generate bias analyses within a formal lexicon.
The term objective tests refer to measuring individual characteristics and personality traits by answering questions with a limited set of responses free from examiners beliefs. These tests require the examinee to evaluate the question and reflect on their personality to provide an accurate report to the set questions. These tests are objectives because the examiner does not need to judge the answers provided by the examinee since each question is marked against a standardized scoring mechanism providing a valid correspondence to the real world.
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Projective tests, on the other hand, reflect more on the examiner’s beliefs. Meyer and Kutz (2006) describe projective as instruments that require the examinee to offer a response to personality assessment tests with limited access to external guidance, and the response represents an ambiguous majority. In history, projective tests measured cross-cultural personality assessment where one cultural practice assessment represents other culture.
Objective tests are disadvantageous for it is easier for an examinee to lie about their personality and faking their response. Second, some objective tests have limitations in response and scoring criteria limiting interpretation of the responses hence jeopardizing the validity of the test. On the other hand, projective tests lack objectivity since the examiner’s beliefs drive the questions and the complexity of the data collected makes the analysis of the scoring subjective and prone to errors.
Reference
Meyer, G. J., and Kurtz, J. E. (2006). Advancing Personality Assessment Terminology: Time to retire objective and projective as personality test descriptors. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87(3), 223-225
