Initial Explorations of the Psychophysiological Processes Engaged by Individuals During Multimethod

Abstract

Different methods of measurement intended to assess analogous constructs often do not yield comparable scores (Bornstein, 2002; Meyer et al., 2001; Mihura et al., 2013; Zeigler-Hill et al., 2012). This paradox, termed the heteromethod convergence problem (HCP; Bornstein, 2002), causes substantial issues in research and clinical work (e.g., inaccurate diagnosis and ineffective treatment decisions, distorted data in research; see Bornstein, 2015; Natoli, 2019a). Progress in the field of psychological assessment requires addressing the HCP, as doing so would allow empirical and clinical conclusions to be based on more accurate test data. To do this, researchers have been studying the psychological processes underlying divergent test scores (e.g., self-perception biases; Bornstein, 2015; Natoli, 2019b; Natoli & Bornstein, 2017), but the psychophysiological processes potentially contributing to the HCP have gone largely unexplored. The mind and body are incontrovertibly connected and understanding the psychophysiological responses evoked while individuals complete different types of tests would help the field further clarify why different methods of measurement are producing different results. This knowledge will help address the HCP and stands to help improve the accuracy and precision of personality assessment. This symposium presents findings from a comprehensive pilot study that investigated the psychophysiological activity occurring while individuals respond to the demands of five different methods of measurement: self-report (MMPI-3), stimulus-attribution (Rorschach), information-processing (IAT), interview (structured), and informant-report (BFI-2-S). Following a brief summary of the literature and a general introduction of the pilot study’s methodology, presenters will discuss within-person variations in (1) cardiovascular activity, (2) respiratory physiology, and (3) electrodermal activity within and across the five different types of tests. The symposium will conclude with the lead researcher discussing future directions for this line of research as well as the implications of this work for assessment research and practice.

Chair

Adam Natoli | Sam Houston State University

Goals & Objectives

1. Describe the heteromethod convergence problem and its role in personality assessment.
2. Discuss which psychophysiological processes are plausibly evoked by different methods of measurement.