Assessing the Evaluative Content of Personality Questionnaires Using Bifactor Models

Abstract

Exploratory bifactor models with keying factors were applied to item response data for the NEO-FFI-3 and HEXACO-PI-R questionnaires. Loadings on a general factor and positive and negative keying factors correlated with independent estimates of item valence, suggesting that item valence influences responses to these questionnaires. Correlations between personality domain scores and measures of self-esteem, depression, and positive and negative affect were all reduced significantly when the influence of evaluative content represented by the general and keying factors was removed. Findings support the need to model personality inventories in ways that capture reactions to evaluative item content.

Open Peer Commentary and Author's Response

“…We do, however, disagree with the authors' assertion that "no candidate set of seven or more factors has yet been identified" (p. 11) as a meaningful improvement over the six factors of the HEXACO model. Specifically, we feel that the evaluative factor investigated by Biderman and colleagues (Biderman, McAbee, Chen, & Hendy, 2018;Biderman, McAbee, Hendy, & Chen, 2019) represents an important addition to the HEXACO model (and Big Five) as presented in the focal article. Ashton and Lee (2020a) argued against adding a seventh factor, stating that adding such a factor does not provide more information concerning variance accounted for above and beyond the existing six factors.…”

“…Reise, 2012)particularly those estimated using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) procedures (see, e.g. Asparouhov & Muthén, 2009;Marsh et al, 2010;Morin, Arens, & Marsh, 2016)-more appropriately represent the collection of traits that influence responses to personality questionnaires (Biderman et al, 2018(Biderman et al, , 2019.…”

“…Bifactor models, such as those applied by Biderman et al (2018Biderman et al ( , 2019 to HEXACO data, specify an additional factor indicated by all of the items on the questionnaire. Such factors are called general factors in the literature on bifactor models (Reise, 2012).…”

“…Such factors are called general factors in the literature on bifactor models (Reise, 2012). Biderman et al (2018) provided evidence that such factors are not merely method factors whose influence is independent of item content; rather, they are analogous to the domain factors and are dependent on the content of items. Specifically, these authors suggested that the aspect of item content captured within the general factor is affectively laden or evaluative item content, which they later termed evaluation (Biderman et al, 2019).…”

Aplikasi Model Bifaktor untuk Mengevaluasi Validitas Instrumen Pengukuran: Modul 1

“…Model bifaktor sebenarnya bukan gagasan baru, namun popularitasnya di kalangan peneliti sosial mulai meningkat dalam beberapa tahun terakhir. Model bifaktor sudah diterapkan pada pengukuran di bidang kesehatan mental (Brouwer & Meijer, 2013;Lahey et al, 2018), kepribadian (Biderman et al, 2018), dan pendidikan (Scherer & Gustafsson, 2015;Wang, Kim, Dedrick, Ferron, & Tan, 2018). Sebagai pengantar, Modul 1 membahas model bifaktor secara konseptual.…”