Psychological Measurement and Individual Differences

Introduction

The study of the individual is the cornerstone of psychology. Despite an increasing focus on the dynamics of groups, teams and organizations in research, the emphasis on the individual remains. In order to understand individual differences or the individual as part of a system, it is necessary to have extensive knowledge of individual characteristics as reflected in theories of personality, intelligence, creativity, styles and other attributes. Such theories may explain important work behavior necessary to develop sustainable organizations, e.g., achievement, collaboration efforts, competition, and productivity.  Such knowledge generally represents the foundation for recruitment, personal development programs, and team composition. Characteristics of measurement and statistical analyses are also of central importance in this field.

Course content

• Theory and measurement of individual differences and psychological constructs like personality, intelligence, personality disorders, and affective well-being.
• Questionnaire development, and important concepts for assessing the quality of scores
• Statistical methods to assess psychometric properties of scores from psychological tests
• Interpreting and providing feedback on scores from psychological tests
• The role of individual differences in the workplace