Trait Relevance and Trait Assessment

Abstract

Growing agreement exists among psychologists that all traits are not equally relevant to allpeople. The assumption that traits differ in their relevance across individuals has implications for psychometric theory and the assessment of reliability and validity. Specifically, the less relevant a trait is to an individual, the more error that person is contributing to the measurement process. This article discusses the construct of trait relevance, explicates why differences in trait relevance need to be incorporated into models of trait assessment, and suggests new possibilities for the measurement of trait relevance.

Nice or smart? Task relevance of self-characteristics moderates interpersonal projection

“…The current studies are the first to demonstrate that trait relevance does not only influence the process of construing an ideal partner by means of valuable characteristics (Britt & Shepperd, 1999;Cottrell et al, 2007;, but that it also facilitates the projection processes by which the partner is viewed as similar to the self. Our studies suggest that projection might be inflated or deflated depending on whether the traits used for the judgment are relevant or not in a specific situation.…”

Extending Theory on Job Stress

“…They assert that human beings evolve or adapt their personality based on their social interactions. Some researchers also argue that people differ in their level of consistency even in their traits (Baumeister & Tice, 1988; Baumeister & Twenge, 2001; Bem & Allen, 1974; Britt & Shepperd, 1999). Thus, according to trait theory, the “Big 5” will fully determine the individual’s behavior, and changes in adulthood, if any, will be extremely gradual or negligible (Costa & McCrae, 1997), while adaptive theories predict that an individual will modify/adapt aspects of their personality based on their ongoing interactions.…”

In Search of Clarity: Self-Esteem and Domains of Confidence and Confusion

“…As a result, we suggest that SCs and CQs are highly relevant traits for the majority of people. This generally high level of trait relevance limits the possibility that measurement error will affect one domain of traits more than the other (for a review of trait relevance as it applies to measurement issues, see Britt & Shepperd, 1999).…”