Itzhak Montag

The five-factor personality model in applied settings

Two studies of the Revised NEO‐Personality Inventory (NEO‐PI‐R) conducted on two different applicant samples (one consisting of 539 female subjects and the other consisting of 396 male subjects) are reported. Factor analysis of the female sample yielded a five‐factor solution, highly congruent with the factors presented by Costa, McCrae and Dye (1991). Results of the male data were less clear‐cut, yielding four to five factors which were moderately congruent with the American data. The combined male and female sample showed again high congruence coefficients. Various minor deviations in the location of the facet variables are discussed.

Style and substance in social desirability scales

The purpose of the present study was to examine the nature of a social desirability measure under two different types of instructions for filling out personality questionnaires in an occupational selection setting. 1230 male applicants for public vehicle driving licences were administered Cattetts 16PF and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. One was given standard instructions for filling out these questionnaires; the second was given special instructions designed to reduce social desirability response bias. Social desirability was indexed by the Lie scale of the EPQ. Based on Eysencks theorizing concerning the meaning of the Lie scale, the following hypothesis was tested: the factorial location of the Lie scale in the personality domain will differ under the two forms of instructions. It should appear separately from other personality factors under the standard instructions, whereas under the special instructions it should be subsumed under the personality factor which measures conformity. The results supported this hypothesis. The discussion focuses on the meaning of the Lie scale under conditions that elicit social desirability bias and on the role of special instructions in reducing this bias.

The effect of testing instructions for handling social desirability on the Eysenck personality questionnaire

Abstract The Hebrew version of the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) was administered to two groups. One group was given special ‘feedback’ instructions intended to make subjects aware of the extent of their distortions due to responding in a socially desirable direction, and of the possibility of detection of such distortions. The other group was given ordinary standard instructions. There was a substantial change in the mean of the Lie (L) scale, a moderate change in the Neuroticism (N) scale and no significant change in the mean of the Extraversion (E) and Psychoticism (P) scales. The reliability estimates and factor pattern showed a marked improvement of the P scale and some improvement of the N and L scales, and no effect on the E scale.

On the Location of the Sensation Seeking construct in the Personality Domain

The purpose of the study was to examine the location of Zuckermans sensation seeking (SS) construct in the personality domain as measured by Cattells 16 personality factors (16PF). The results of the factor analytic study indicated that the global construct of sensation seeking is related to the broad personality factor of independence. When the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) was divided into subscales, relations with two other broader personality factors, superego and pathemia, emerged as well. Nevertheless, the relationship with independence remained the most dominant one. The results of the present study seem to locate the sensation-seeking construct in the personality domain more precisely than previous findings.

Comparison of Multitrait-Multimethod, Factor, and Smallest Space Analysis on Personality Scale Data

A multitrait-multimethod matrix of four personality constructs, social desirability, neuroticism, extraversion, and masculinity-femininity, measured by three instruments, Comrey Personality Scales, Eysenck Personality Scales, and MMPI, were analyzed by classical factor analysis and smallest space analysis. The results of both procedures showed excellent agreement, giving four clearly defined orthogonal factors as well as four clearly separated regions in space for the personality constructs, confirming the convergent and discriminant validity of the data obtained in a previous study. The results are attributed in part to the special testing instructions designed to minimize faking and social desirability responding.

The five factor model and psychopathology in nonclinical samples

Abstract The present study investigated the comprehensiveness of the Five-Factor Model for description of personality. The issue addressed was, specifically, whether a sixth psychopathology factor is needed to account for personality variation in nonclinical populations. Three samples provided questionnaire data for the present analyses, in employment selection settings: two female samples of 527 and 583 subjects, and one male sample of 266 subjects. The Revised NEO-Personality Inventory was administered to all the subjects. In addition, one female sample completed the Basic Personality Inventory, and the other two samples completed the Personality Assessment Inventory. Factor analyses of the data showed that a sixth factor, consisting primarily of psychopathological variables was needed to account for the variance.

Psychopathological factors and sensation seeking

Abstract In the framework of efforts to clarify the relationship between the sensation seeking construct and psychopathological factors, several hypotheses based on conceptual analysis and previous empirical findings were tested. Seven hundred sixty-five male applicants for security-related jobs were administered Zuckermans Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS), Form V, and the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ), Part II. The results of the multivariate analysis lend support to most of the hypotheses. The findings shed light on patterns of relationships that were not identified in previous studies. The results are discussed on the basis of a cognitive approach to personality assessment.

On the replicability of the factorial structure of the sensation seeking scale

The present investigation sought to further examine the underlying factorial structure of the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS). Since the cross-national replicability of the structure postulated by Zuckerman was studied recently by researchers from Australia and Canada using the SSS form V (Ball, Farnill and Wangeman, 1983; Rowland and Franken, 1986), it seemed worthwhile to compare their results with the results obtained in a non-English speaking culture.One-hundred-and-sixty-nine Israeli female students completed the Hebrew version of the SSS within a selection type setting. The factor analytic results by-and-large replicated three out of the four Sensation Seeking subfactors identified by Zuckerman. A comparison of the factor analytic results with those obtained in the Australian and Canadian studies yielded a considerably high congruence between the Israeli and the Canadian samples. However, a lower congruence was achieved when each of these samples was compared with the Australian sample. As a result of the cross-national comparison, 16 items were identified as inadequate. In spite of the general replicability of the factor structure of the SSS in several cultures, the findings of this study support the conclusion reached by Ball et al. (1983) and by Roland and Franken (1986) that a refinement of the scale is desirable. Language: en

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY AND THE NEO-PERSONALITY INVENTORY IN A NONPATIENT SAMPLE '

The relation between psychopathology measured by Jacksons 1989 Basic Personality Inventory and personality dimensions measured by Costa and McCraes 1985 NEO-Personality Inventory was investigated in a nonpatient sample of 457 female subjects. The results contribute to the validation of both instruments and agree with the relevant findings reported in the literature. They also provide support for the cross-cultural invariance of these instruments.

The location of the Self-Monitoring scale in the factor space of the EPQ and the 16PF

Abstract The location of the abbreviated (18-item) Self-Monitoring (SM) scale in the factor space of the EPQ and the 16PF was investigated on data of a sample of 382 female subjects. The SM items loaded on two factors—one was an Extraversion factor, defined by the EPQ-16PF batteries (particularly related to Boldness (H) and Surgency (F) of the 16PF), and the other one was a separate factor which included only Self-Monitoring items. This factor could be identified as an Acting factor, including also some items representing Other-Directedness.