PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING

FLOW OF PRESENTATION

1. Merits & Demerits of Psychometric Tests

2. MBTI

3. Thomas Profile

4. Career Anchor

5. Holland’s Theory
 MERITS & DEMERITS
MERITS DEMERITS
1. Helps draw up a  Psychological testing can be
comprehensive unreliable
Behavioural profile
 Job requirement specs may be
2. Warns management subjective
of recruit’s
 Results are open to interpretation
weaknesses
rather than conclusive
3. Can be successfully
 Does not account for recruit’s
utilized for career
intellect or exposure
development
 Should never be used as a stand-
alone technique
THE MBTI
 Psychological Type
Is a theory of personality developed by Swiss psychiatrist, Carl G. Jung;

Asserts that differences between people result from inborn preferences;

Defines a ”Psychological Type” as :

The natural, preferred way of using one’s mind and

directing energy;

The behavioral habits that develop as people use

their preferences.
 Psychological Type Contd. . .

Is NOT about skills, intelligence, abilities, or technical expertise;

Does NOT tell you what you can and can’t do;

Affirms that people are a lot more than their Psychological Type

 Environment

 Culture

 Education & Training

 Interests & Motivations

 The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI

Developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs

Myers.

Present version has evolved after 50 years of research;

Has been translated into more than 30 languages;

Is the most widely used personality inventory in the world.

 The MBTI
Identifies polar opposites in four areas

 The ways people Naturally  By using

prefer to
• Direct and get energy • Extraversion or Introversion

• Take in information • Sensing or Intuition

• Make decisions • Thinking or feeling

• Organize their external • Judging or Perceiving

world

There is no right or wrong to MBTI results – each preference and type

identifies normal and valuable human behaviours.
 Extraversion & Introversion

E = Energy directed outward in action

I= Energy directed inward in reflection

E = Seeking stimulation in the outer environment

I= Seeking stimulation in the inner environment

 Sensing & Intuition
S= Focusing on the realities of the present

N= Focusing on possibilities in the future

S= Noticing factual and concrete information

N= Seeing patterns and connections between facts

S= Trusting experience

N= Trusting insights
 Thinking & Feeling
Two essential ways of making rational judgements

T= Using Logical analysis to make decisions

F= Using person-centered values to make decisions

T= Using objective and impersonal criteria

F= Weighing human values and motives

T= Seeking rational order by logic

F= Seeking rational order through harmony

 Remember

“Extravert” does not mean “talkative”;

“Introvert” does not mean “shy” or “inhibited”;

“Feeling” does not mean “emotional”;

“Judging” does not mean “judgmental”.

“Perceiving” does not mean “perceptive”.

 Assumptions Underlying Type Theory

Preferences are inborn;

Environment enhances or impedes expression of type;

People use all ``four processes (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and

Feeling) in both extraverted and introverted attitudes some of the

time;

Type is dynamic, not static;

All of the types are equally valuable

 The MBTI is used in :
Self-development;

Career development and exploration;

Relationship counseling;

Academic counseling;

Organization development;

Team building;

Problem solving;

Management and leadership training;

Education and curriculum development;

Diversity and multicultural training.

 Things to Remember About Type
Each type and each individual has special gifts. There is no right or
wrong type, no better or worse combinations of types in work or
relationships.

The purpose of knowing about type is to help you understand

yourself and to enhance your relationships with others through
appreciation of individual differences.

Each person is unique. An ENFP is like every other ENFP, like some
other ENFP, and like no other ENFP.
 Things to Remember About Type Contd. . .
Everyone uses each of the preferences to some degree. Our type is
made up of those we prefer.

YOU are the one to decide what type you truly are. Your results on
the MBTI suggest your probable type based on the choices you made
when you answered the questions; however, only you know your
true preferences.

Type does not explain everything. The human personality is much

too complex.
 Things to Remember About Type Contd. . .
Number scores on the MBTI indicate clarity of preference. They do
not measure skills or ability or even degree of use.

You may use type to understand and forgive yourself, but NOT as an
excuse for doing or not doing anything.

Your type should NOT keep you from considering any career, activity,
or relationship.

Become aware of your type biases (we all have them!) to avoid
negative stereotyping.
THOMAS PROFILING
SYSTEM
 Thomas International PPA System

Designed by Thomas Hendrick, a disciple

of Dr. William Marstron, who designed
the original mode of the instrument in
1928.
 Thomas International PPA System
DOMINANCE
• Positive behaviour in an antagonistic situation. Drive to accomplishment in the face of
opposition or antagonism.

INDUCEMENT INFLUENCE OVER OTHERS

• Positive behaviour in favourable or friendly situations influencing others to react positively
or favourably.

STEADINESS
• Passive behaviour in a favourable situation. Steadiness or suitable for performing routine
and repetitive work.

COMPLIANCE
• Passive behaviour in an antagonistic situation. Compliance with high work standards to
avoid trouble or error.
 Thomas International PPA System
Theoretical Perspective – An Interpersonal / Situational Theory
PERCEIVED SITUATION
Assertive Compliance
Driving Careful
Competitive Systematic
Forceful DOMINANCE Precise COMPLIANCE
Inquisitive (+POWER ) Accurate (+POLICY)
Direct Perfectionist
Self-starter Logical
( an active positive posture in hostile or ( a cautious undecided response to an

behaviours
unfriendly environment Confronts in order antagonistic environment. Designed to

passive
to overcome and in doing so avoid failure ) negate the degree of antagonism and thus
avoid trouble or conflict )
evi t c a

Influential Dependable
sr uoi va heb

Persuasive Deliberate
Friendly INFLUENCE Amiable STEADINESS
Verbal (+PEOPLE) Persistent (-PACE)
Communicative Good listener
Positive Kind
( an active, positive posture designed to ( a passive response in a hostile situation.
move away from an unfriendly situation Attempts to maintain status quo until
towards a more friendly and favourable hostility is over in order to avoid
state by using persuasion thus avoiding insecurity)
rejection)
 Thomas International PPA System

The Personal Profile is not a clinical instrument. It is intended for use

only in business and not for diagnosis of abnormal behaviour.

This technique for measuring behaviour, requires approximately

fifteen minutes and because we use the forced-choice technique in
the Personal Profile, it makes it difficult to distort
 Thomas International PPA System

MATCHING THE PERSON WITH THE POSITION

 To measure the job

• we use the Human Job Analysis form

 To measure the individual

• we use the Personal Profile Analysis.

 Thomas International PPA System
STUDYING THE GRAPHS

Once you have completed scoring the Profile you will be studying three
graphs (reverse side of Profile form)

Graph ( I ) ‘HOW OTHER SEE YOU’

• This graph indicates how the individual feels he / she is expected to behave in
order to be successful. ( The mask ) If the pattern is too close to the centre line,
the person is uncertain as to how to behave. (This could mean that he or she is
new to the job, has too much responsibility or is uncertain as to what is
expected. )
• This graph should not be considered when a profile is being used for hiring a new
employee. It is only used for present employees or for personal counselling.
 Thomas International PPA System
STUDYING THE GRAPHS ( contd. )

GRAPH ( II ) ‘BEHAVIOUR UNDER PRESSURE’

• This graph indicates how a person behaves under pressure or even in a
personal environment. It indicates limitations and should be recognized but
underplayed in the evaluation. Used for constructive suggestions.

GRAPH ( III ) ‘HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF’

• This graph is the most accurate as it indicates the person’s self image. It will
give you an idea if the person can communicate, how to make decision, and if
they are self-starters. If this person is close to the centre line, the person
probably was finding it difficult to complete the Profile. He or she could have
tried to read into it or could be going through a change of values.
 Thomas International PPA System

WHAT YOU GET FROM THE SYSTEM

 Questionnaires :Identifies compatibility with the role under

consideration and supplies penetrating questions based on the
interviewee’s profile.

 Audits : Three types of audit are available in Thomas Key. They are
Management, Sales and Administration / Technical.
• The Management Audit
– covers Managing and Motivating, Decision making, Planning and problem solving,
Communication, Administration and Developing others.
 Thomas International PPA System
WHAT YOU GET FROM THE SYSTEM [contd.]

Audits [contd.]
• The Sales Audit
– covers Opening and communication, Closing, Customer service, Presentation and
Administration.

• The Admin / Technical Audit

– reports on Organizing workflow, Time management, Meeting information / service needs,
Ensuring quality and accuracy and Problem solving.

• Strengths & Limitations

– Provides a Management summary in the form of bullet points about the person who has
completed the PPA.

• How to Manage
– Explains what sort of supervision is most likely to be effective.
 Thomas International PPA System
HOW CAN YOU BENIFIT?

In development
• The system highlights potential development opportunities and so increases the
probability of job satisfaction; this, in turn, tends to increase productivity.

In recruitment
• Reports from the system describe strengths and weakness in relation to a role
and therefore identify job compatibility. It also provides an opportunity to discuss
frustrations or pressures felt by the candidate.

In encouraging & motivating

• Thomas PPA provides a person with the opportunity to understand both
themselves and others and to identify how best to modify their own behaviour in
order to strengthen relationships and improve communications.
CAREER ANCHOR
 CAREER ANCHOR

According to Schein ( 1978 ), a person’s “Career

Anchor” is his or her occupational self-concept

consisting of :

 Self-perceived talents and abilities

 Self-perceived motives and needs

 Self-perceived attitudes and values

 CAREER ANCHOR
Schein’s further research ( 1990, 1993 ) uncovered eight Career Anchors :

Managerial
 People who kept clawing right up the ladder

Technical / Functional
 People who settled down happily to pay attention to the details of their craft

Security / Stability
 People who discovered that promotions were rewarding largely because they
meant, that the company prized them and wanted to keep them

Autonomy / Independence
 People who found ways of carving out their own space in large organizations and
are not ready to compromise on their freedom
 CAREER ANCHOR [contd.]
Schein’s eight Career Anchors [contd.]

Entrepreneurial / Creativity
 People who ended up starting new ventures products and services to meet
their needs to be creative and to reap the benefits of their labours

Service / Dedication
 People who are dedicated to a particular cause, client group or ideology

Pure Challenge
 People with primary concerns to solve unsolvable problems, to win out over
tough opponents, and to surmount difficult obstacles

Balance / Life-style Integration

 People with primary concerns to integrate family concerns, career concerns
and concerns for self-development
 CAREER ANCHOR
(Derr – 1986) Five diverse internal career orientations :

V- Getting Ahead
• These are people who are primarily interested to grow vertically and also much faster
compared to their peers;

W - Getting Secure
• these are people who are motivated primarily by a sense of a job security and a life long
organizational identity;

X- Getting Free
• These are people who value autonomy most, which they are not ready to give up under
any circumstances;

Z- Getting High
• The objective here is getting challenging and exciting work, staying at the cutting edge;

Y - Getting Balanced
• Career, self development and relationship with others.
 CAREER ANCHOR FOR CAREER MANAGEMENT
INTERVENTIONS

According to Schein (1996), the metaphor of ‘Anchor’ signifies

that stability will be achieved in one’s career if he / she is in an

organizational environment that provides an opportunity to

realize the components of his / her career anchor.

HOLLAND’S THEORY
 HOLLAND’S THEORY

Holland’s ( 1985 / 1992 ) theory of vocational personalities and work

environments.

This theory is intended to explain career choice, satisfaction, and

persistence.

People & Job Environment can be classified in six types. Employee

satisfaction would depend on the Congruence between the two.

 HOLLAND’S THEORY

Realistic Investigative

Conventional Artistic

Enterprising Social
 HOLLAND’S THEORY - Classification of Personalities
Realistic
• Manual and mechanical competencies and interaction with machines, tools and objects.

Investigative
• Analytical, technical, scientific, and verbal competencies.

Artistic
• Innovation or creative ability.

Social
• Interpersonal competencies and skill in treating, healing or teaching others.

Enterprising
• Skills in the persuasion and manipulation of other people.

Conventional
• Clerical skills or skills in meeting precise standards for performance.
 HOLLAND’S THEORY
CONGRUENCE
 Congruence is assessed according to the degree of match
between the vocational personality of an individual and the
environmental type of an occupation or position.
 Occupational environments that are adjacent on the hexagon
theoretically make similar demands on a person, and occupational
environments that are more distant make divergent demands.

CONSISTENCY
 Career move will be most predictable

DIFFERENTIATION
 All score with the same range – denotes erratic career movement.
THANK YOU