Date of Award

4-2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Roni Reiter-Palmon

Second Advisor

Wayne Harrison

Third Advisor

Kenneth Deffenbacher

Abstract

The relationships between personality measures and biodata measures were examined using a measure of the Big Five Factors of personality, and a newly created biodata measure. Each measure was used to predict academic achievement and job satisfaction. The biodata measure was created to mimic a factor structure similar to the five factors of personality, to allow a better comparison of the two measures. However, the biodata items were original (with combinations of previously used original items), and were developed for use in this study. Biodata items are typically multiple-choice, situational, and historical in nature, whereas personality items are typically based on general response tendencies. Previous studies have not made the distinctions clear between these two types of measures, nor come to any conclusions regarding prediction of academic achievement or job satisfaction. This study examined these relationships in detail. In addition, participant's perceptions of the measures were examined. Similarities and differences between the psychometric properties of the scales were examined, as well as the incremental validity o f each measure when added to the other if both were used in prediction of the two criteria. The results of this study suggest that neither measure is better than the other, and that each can provide a unique contribution.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Psychology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha

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