MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY

(MAP)

● OBJECTIVE:
To assess personality dimension of an individual using multi-dimensional assessment of personality (MAP).

● INTRODUCTION:
According to the American Psychological Association, Personality refers to individual differences in characteristic
patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The study of personality focuses on two broad areas: One is understanding
individual differences in particular personality characteristics, such as sociability or irritability, the other is
understanding how the various parts of a person come together as a whole. According to Allport, "Personality is the
dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristics
behaviour and thought"Eysenck, defining personality, stresses upon the concept of organisation and also of
adjustment of the individual to the environment. He defines personality “as more or less stable and enduring
organisation or a person's character, temperament, intellect, and psyche, which determine his unique adjustment to
the environment".

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY-

Psychodynamic Perspectives-
The psychodynamic approach includes all the theories in psychology that see human functioning based upon the
interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious, and between the different structures of
the personality. Well-known psychodynamic theorists include Freud, Jung, Adler, and Erikson. Freud’s Psycho-
analytic theory is based on three main assumptions: 1. Personality is governed by unconscious forces that we cannot
control. 2. Childhood experiences play a significant role in determining adult personality. 3. Personality is shaped by
the manner in which children cope with sexual urges. Freud argued that personality is divided into three structures-
the id, ego, and superego. They are arranged into different layers of awareness- conscious, unconscious and pre-
conscious. Freud believed that behaviour is the result of an ongoing internal conflict among the id, ego, and superego.
Conflicts stemming from sexual and aggressive urges are especially significant. He even believed that the basic
elements of adult personality are in place by age five.

Jung’s Analytical Psychology focused on the role of the unconscious in shaping personality—he described an
unconscious comprised of two layers: (1) The personal unconscious and (2) The collective unconscious. For Jung,
the goal of psychic development is for the individual to discover their wholeness and uniqueness. The final goal is
of self-realization.

Adler’s Individual Psychology believed that the most important human drive is not sexuality, but the drive for
superiority. He stated that one uses compensation, the efforts to overcome imagined or real inferiorities by developing
one’s abilities. When unsuccessful at it, they may develop an inferiority complex. Adler also believed that birth order
may contribute to personality.

Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Developmental Model consists of eight stages through which a healthily developing
human should pass through, starting from infancy to late adulthood. In each stage, the person confronts and hopefully
masters new challenges. Each stage builds on the successful completion of earlier stages. The challenges of stages
not successfully completed may be expected to reappear as problems in the future. To Erikson, identity refers to
having a relatively clear and stable sense of who one is in the larger society
However, Psychodynamic Theory has been criticized on the grounds of poor testability, inadequate evidence, and
sexism.

Humanistic Perspectives-
Humanism is “a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their free will and
their potential for personal growth”. This perspective is based on the following ideas: (1) We have an innate drive
toward personal growth. (2) We exercise free will to control our actions. (3) We are rational beings driven by
conscious, not unconscious, needs.

According to Carl Rogers’s Person-Centred Theory, personality contains only one construct, the self, or self-
concept– “a collection of beliefs about one’s own nature, unique qualities, and typical behaviour”. If our ideas about
ourselves match our actual experiences, our self-concept is congruent with reality. However, if our ideas about
ourselves do not match reality, this disparity is called incongruence.

Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization emphasizes that human motives are organized in a hierarchy of needs– “a
systematic arrangement of needs, according to priority, in which basic needs must be met before peripheral or
secondary needs are aroused”. Humans have an innate drive towards personal growth and the greatest need is the
need for self-actualization–the fulfilment of one’s truest potential.

The humanistic theory has been credited with identifying the self-concept as a key element of personality and placing
an emphasis on a more positive outlook on human behaviour and personality. However, it has also been criticized
for poor testability, an unrealistic view of human nature, and for inadequate evidence.

Behavioural Perspectives-
Behaviourism “is a theoretical orientation based on the premise that scientific psychology should study observable
behaviour”. Behavioural theorists view personality “as a collection of response tendencies that are tied to various
stimulus situations”. They focus on personality development, and how children’s response tendencies are shaped by
classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning.

Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning is “a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a
response that was originally evoked by another stimulus”

Skinner’s Operant Conditioning is “a form of learning in which voluntary responses come to be controlled by their
consequences”

Bandura’s Observational Learning refers to learning which “occurs when an organism’s response is influenced by
observing others, who are called as models”. This behavioural theory is unique as it involves cognition and it requires
individuals to pay attention to others’ behaviour, understand the consequences that follow others’ behaviour, and
store this information in memory.
Bandura stressed the importance of self-efficacy- one’s belief in one’s ability to perform behaviours that should lead
to expected outcomes. High self-efficacy is associated with confidence whereas low self-efficacy creates doubt in
one’s abilities. Bandura believed that self-efficacy is one of the most important personality traits because it is tied to
success in many endeavours and resistance to stress.

Behavioural theory has generated the following important ideas: (1) Classical conditioning can contribute to
distressing emotional responses. (2) Operant conditioning helps explain how personality is shaped by consequences.
It has been criticized for: (1) Neglecting cognitive processes, and (2) Relying too heavily on animal models.
Trait Approach to Personality
This approach assumes behaviour to be determined by relatively stable traits which are the fundamental units of
one’s personality. Traits predispose one to act in a certain way, regardless of the situation. This means that traits
should remain consistent across situations and over time, but may vary between individuals. It is presumed that
individuals differ in their traits due to genetic differences.
Trait theories are sometimes also referred to as psychometric theories, because of their emphasis on measuring
personality by using psychometric tests. Trait scores are continuous (quantitative) variables.

Allport's Trait Theory-

Allport's theory of personality emphasizes the uniqueness of an individual and the internal cognitive and motivational
process that influence their behaviour. For example, intelligence, temperament, habits, skills, attitudes, and traits.
Allport (1937) believed that personality is biologically determined at birth, and shaped by a person's environmental
experience.

Eysenck’s Theory-
Eysenck views personality as a “hierarchy of traits”. He placed special emphasis on biological differences that occur
along the extraversion-introversion dimension. Introverts have higher levels of physiological arousal causing them
to avoid overly stimulating social situations. Extroverts have lower baseline levels of arousal and, thus, seek
stimulation from social situations.
Eysenck (1952, 1967, 1982) proposed a theory of personality based on biological factors, arguing that individuals
inherit a type of nervous system that affects their ability to learn and adapt to the environment. Using factor
analysis to devise his theory, Eysenck (1947, 1966) identified three factors of personality: extroversion, neuroticism,
and psychoticism.
Each of the Eysenck Theory factors is a bipolar dimension, meaning that each has a direct opposite- Extroversion vs.
Introversion; Neuroticism vs. Emotional Stability and; Psychoticism vs. Self-Control.
Each aspect of personality (extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism) can be traced back to a different biological
cause. Personality is dependent on the balance between excitation and inhibition process of the autonomic nervous
system (ANS).

Cattell's 16PF Trait Theory-

Cattell (1965) disagreed with Eysenck’s view that personality can be understood by looking at only two or three
dimensions of behaviour. Instead, he argued that that is was necessary to look at a much larger number of traits in
order to get a complete picture of someone’s personality.
After using factor analysis Cattell proposed that two types of characteristics form our personality-
Surface Traits and Source Traits.
Surface Traits: Cattell’s factor analysis showed that there are 46 surface traits or cluster of related behaviour. These
traits are the characteristics one can observe in a given situation. But surface traits may not necessarily represent the
traits that actually underlie the personality of an individual. These are the ones that can be directly observed and are
based on one’s perceptions and representations of personality. These may not be the true descriptions of
the actual underlying dimensions of someone’s personality.
Source Traits: the characteristics that form the actual roots and basis of all behaviour may be different and fewer in
number. In order to go beyond the surface traits, Cattell carried out further factor analysis. He could identify 16 traits
that represent basic dimensions of personality. He called these the Source Traits. These 16 personality factors include:

1. Abstractedness: Imaginative versus practical.

2. Apprehension: Worried versus confident.
3. Dominance: Forceful versus submissive.
 4. Emotional Stability: Calm versus high-strung.
5. Liveliness: Spontaneous versus restrained.
6. Openness to Change: Flexible versus attached to the familiar.
7. Perfectionism: Controlled versus undisciplined.
8. Privateness: Discreet versus open.
9. Reasoning: Abstract versus concrete.
10. Rule-Consciousness: Conforming versus non-conforming.
11. Self-Reliance: Self-sufficient versus dependent.
12. Sensitivity: Tender-hearted versus tough-minded.
13. Social Boldness: Uninhibited versus shy.
14. Tension: Impatient versus relaxed.
15. Vigilance: Suspicious versus trusting.
16. Warmth: Outgoing versus reserved.

● DESCRIPTION OF THE TEST:

Multi-dimensional Assessment of Personality is a series of tests developed by Sanjay Vohra ranging from children
of the primary level to normal adult personality. It is used to analyse or report individual differences in personality.
The MAP Series has four Forms for different levels. (MAP Form A, T, C, and P)

FORMS AGE RANGE

MAP P 4-7 years

(Primary children)

MAP C 7-11 years

(Children)

MAP T 12-18 years

(Teenagers)

MAP A Above 18 years

(Adults)

Form A (Adults) assesses 20 dimensions of personality and consists of 147 questions for which three options are
given- Yes, No and Maybe. From these three options, the test taker has to select any one, which is the most
appropriate for him/her. The same goes for the Form MAP T where the teenagers have to select one from the three
given options. However, in the case of FORM P and FORM C, there are only two alternatives provided from which
the test-taker has to select one. This is so done because the younger group is prone to get confused with middle
option, also known as the middle category response, of “in between”, “uncertain”, and “undecided”.
The twenty dimensions of the series are:

1. Adaptability (Ad): This dimension refers to the ability to make appropriate responses to changed or changing
circumstances. Those individuals, who readily accept any beneficial changes to meet the environmental demands are
said to be highly adaptable. They settle down to the conditions of work or learning with the elimination of
unnecessary preparatory behaviour. The Ad Dimension is a collection of various other personality dimensions
consisting of emotional maturity, uninhibited behaviour, trustworthiness, self-assurance, strong willpower, social
preciseness, and self-image. Low scoring individuals do not have a harmonious relationship in their environment and
are unable to obtain satisfaction for most of their needs. They usually fail to meet the demands of their physical and
social surroundings.

2. Achievement Motivation (Am): This is a sentimental dimension consisting mainly of two attitudes: ‘learning
skills’ and ‘keeping the job’. It seems to reflect the amount of actual experience to the individual has had and the
degree to which he is currently interested and concerned. Am is a collection of various other personality dimensions
referred to as general intelligence, dominance, imagination, radicalism, self-sufficiency, and discipline. High scoring
individuals may be described as ambitious, overtly interested in their career and realistically involved in various
aspects of life. Low scores indicate regressive behaviour, escapism, and unwillingness to accept responsibility.
Feelings of failure may also tend to decrease this score.

3. Boldness (BO): High scoring individuals on the dimensions Bo are typically adventurous, bold and energetic,
with good insight. They enjoy being the focus of attention in a group situation and have no problem with stage fright.
Thus, it is not unusual to find successful salespeople generally above average on this dimension. High scorers are
reported to feel that enjoying is more important than winning the game. They also describe themselves as quick
decision makers, but it should be pointed out that they do not necessarily make the correct decision. It is seen that
competitive athletes are generally significantly above average on this dimension
Clinically speaking, high Bo individuals are able to withstand external pressures passively without expending much
energy in doing so. Low Bo individuals, on the other hand, have little insulation, therefore, external stresses can
penetrate them more easily.

4. Competition (Co): High Co indicates that the individual is self-assertive, dominant and aggressive, such
individuals describe themselves as forceful and are generally very direct in their relations with other people. They
like to put their own ideas into practice and enjoy having things their own way.
Co also plays an important role in marital compatibility. When both the partners tend to be competitive and dominant,
they fail to channel their interests in non-competitive directions resulting in more conflicts. Regarding clinical
implications, extremely high Co scores (sten 9 or 10) are sometimes associated with aggression and stubbornness
that frequently masks overt feelings of inferiority. Low Co individuals tend to be submissive, mild, humble and
accommodating.

5. Enthusiasm (En): High scoring individuals on dimension En are generally happy to go lucky, lively and
enthusiastic. In their self-reports, they admit to having more friends than most people. They enjoy parties, shows,
and jobs that offer change, variety and travel. Therefore, airline attendants, travel agents, and sales personnel score
significantly above average on this dimension. Whereas research scientists are found to be significantly below
average.
The low score on this dimension need not be confused with depression. Low En simply indicates that the person is
serious, prudent and sober. This dimension may be treated as a behavioural control indicator in which a high score
indicates that the individual is externalized or ‘act out’ inner conflicts. On the other hand, low En simply indicates
that the person will internalize (or control) his inner conflicts.

6. General Ability (Gn): High scoring individuals on Ga have a greater mental capacity to learn. They are insightful,
fast learning and intellectually adaptable. They are also inclined to have more intellectual interests and show better
judgements in their observations. Low scoring individuals, on the other hand, have a poor mental capacity to learn
and are unable to handle abstract problems. They act to be less well organised and show poor judgement in their
observation.
There be some clinical significance to low scores on Ga, particularly for individuals who, on the basis of other
available evidence, could be expected to perform reasonably well. Since the items themselves are not extraordinarily
difficult, an otherwise capable individual who answers too many of them incorrectly may not be paying sufficient
attention to the test.

7. Guilt – Proneness (Gp): The high Gp person feels over fatigued by exciting situations, is unable to sleep through
worrying, feels inadequate to meet the rough daily demands of life, is easily downhearted and remorseful, feels that
people are not as moral as they should be, is inclined to piety, prefers books to people and noise, and shows a mixture
of hypochondriacal and neurasthenic symptoms with phobias and anxieties most prominent.
In group dynamics, high Gp persons do not feel accepted or free to participate, are considered shy, ineffective
speakers and hinderers, but remain religiously task-oriented in their remarks. They select a few peers as friends and
have high standards of group conformity to rules. High Gp dimension is strongly waited against the successful
leadership in face to face situation and is correlated significantly with accident proneness in automobile driving.
Clinically, Gp is very important, first as one of the largest contributors to anxiety appearing centrally in the depressive
anxiety syndrome, and secondly, as tending to be generally high in neurotics and many psychotics. It is very low in
convicts and mostly distinguishes those who act out their maladjustment from those who suffer it as an internal
conflict. Consequently, it is not to be confused with simple, superego strength or a psychological weakness. It
represents a guilt proneness and poorness in spirit and sometimes associated with piousness.

8. Imagination (Im): Essentially, it is seen that the high Im person has an intense subjectivity and inner mental life.
Although cheerful and irresponsible on practical matters, he actually has higher internal, anxiety tensions than the
low Im person. He may walk and talk in his sleep and alternate periods of placid disregard of practical considerations
with steroids episodes of relatively, childishly, dependent behaviour.
High Im individuals in groups tend to feel unaccepted but are unconcerned. They participate and make original
leadership suggestions and are not immediately ignored but their suggestions are often turned down. They express
significantly, more dissatisfaction with the group unity and its regards for rules of procedure.

9. Innovation (In): Individuals with a high score on this dimension tend most frequently to be analytical, liberal and
innovative. High In persons are better performed, more inclined to experiment with problem solutions, less inclined
to morals, etc. They feel that society should throw out traditions, they trust logic rather than feelings, favour relaxed
divorce laws and prefer to break with established ways of doing things.
Neurotics tend to run low on In. In group dynamics, the high In person contributes significantly more remarks to
discussion and has a high percentage of being of a critical nature.

10. Leadership (Ld): a person who scores high on LD has the ability to direct and control the attitude or actions of
others. This is especially true when this person exhibits such influence on a group. High Ld individuals usually
occupy such positions in a group that commands a certain authority or potential for controlling the behaviour of the
group. High leadership qualities consist of various other personality characteristics such as self-confidence and
controlled and strong willpower. They are also adventurous and responsive to people, persevering, determined and
responsible and are usually quick and alert in their surroundings
Subjectively, a high Ld person views himself as a guardian of manners and morals. They are planful and are able to
concentrate, are interested in analysing people and prefer efficient people to other companions. Low scoring
individuals are undependable, obstructive and prefer to be sound followers. They are group dependent and impatient
and are likely to escape when faced with responsibility.

11. Maturity (MA): This dimension is first of those involved in the anxiety pattern. Its contribution is negative, i.e.,
higher anxiety is generally reflected in low scores on Ma. This dimension is one of the dynamic integration, as
opposed to general emotionality. In its positive sense, it seems to be what the psychoanalysts were attempting to
describe by the notion of ego strength. The individual level on Ma may be taken as an index of his stress tolerance;
the higher the Ma score, the more resources an individual will have available to meet the challenges of the day. The
low Ma person is easily annoyed by things and people is dissatisfied by the world situation, his family, the restrictions
of life, and his own health. He shows a generalized neurotic response in the form of phobias, psychosomatic
disturbance, sleep disturbances, hysterical and obsessional behaviour. High Ma individuals are frequently chosen as
leaders than are low Ma individuals. It should be noted that criminal also score high on Ma (“ego strength”)which
agrees with their psychoanalytic contrast to neurotics. Clinically the outstanding observation is that most disorders
show low Ma scores, though neurotic and psychotic do not differ only in having low Ma , but in other dimensions
also.

12. Mental Health (Mh): High scoring individuals on Mh are in a relatively enduring state in which they are well
adjusted, have a zest for living, and are attaining self-actualization or self-realization. This is a positive state, and not
a mere absence of mental disorder. It includes all measures aimed at preventing mental disorder and at improving
the psychological adjustment of individuals and their capacity for harmonious relationships in groups. The Mh
dimensions consist of various other personality characteristics such as emotional stability, impulsivity, self-security,
and low tension. At the level of self-report high Mh individuals report that they are generally able to reach personal
goals without much difficulty. They do not seem to be easily distracted when working on something and have general
satisfaction with the way they have lived their lives. Mh is also important in accident proneness, the low Mh
individuals have more accidents as compared to high Mh iindividual. Low Mh is also associated with physical illness,
especially coronary problems.

13. Morality (Mo): Individuals who score high on this dimension tend to be more persistent, more respectful of
authority and more conforming to the standards of the group. The hypothesis may be set up that this factor
corresponds to the super-ego as in psychoanalysis. On the whole, it would seem that this dimension best depicts the
regard for moral standards, the tendency to drive the ego and to restrain the id, which is most frequently regarded as
marks of the super-ego.
In their self-reports, high Mo individuals describe themselves as being disgusted with sloppy people and messy
rooms. They generally follow rules to the letter. Low scores on Mo occasionally signal sociopathic tendencies.
Extremely high scores on MO are also associated with rigidity and unrealistic high standards for themselves, and, as
a result, experience guilt and feeling of inadequacy when they fail to meet their standards. Thus, flexibility is not a
part of the high scoring individual’s behaviours and this may lower the individual’s ability to cope with extreme
stress.

14. Self-Control (Sc): This dimension may be treated as the ability to bind anxiety. High scoring individuals
generally have strong control over emotional life and behaviour in general. The high Sc person shows socially
approved character responses, behaviour control, persistence, foresight, considerateness of others, and
conscientiousness.
In group dynamics, high Sc score especially picks out persons who will be chosen as leaders, but even more so those
who are effective rather than merely popular leaders. They make more remarks than others, especially problem -
raising and solution-offering, receive fewer votes as hinderers, and fewer rejections at the end of the sessions. High
Sc is associated with success in mechanical, mathematical, and productive organizational activities. It is high in
executives, electricians, and psychiatric technicians, in all of which objectivity, balance and decisiveness are
required. It is significantly related to freedom from automobile accidents.
Clinically low Sc is a major contributor to the anxiety pattern and serves as an important clinical sign, signalling the
individual’s inability to keep his/her emotions in order. But at the same time, if Sc is extremely high, in combination
with elevations on dimensions of guilt proneness and tension, there is a tendency to excess compulsivity, resulting
in obsessional types of behaviour.

15. Sensitivity (Se): Descriptions associated with high scores on this dimension include tender-minded, dependent,
overprotected, fidgety, clinging and insecurity among individuals. High Se scorers prefer to use reason rather than
force in getting things done. The high Se person shows a fastidious dislike of “crude” people and rough occupations,
a liking for travel and new experiences, labile (indeed, unstable), imaginative aesthetic mind, a love of dramatics,
and a certain impracticality in general affairs. There are indications that artists score high on this dimension. Group
performances tend to be poorer with high Se, while they receive significantly more descriptions as fussy, slowing
group performance in arriving at decisions and making social-emotional negative (morale upsetting) remarks. Low
Se, on the other hand, represents some sort of tough, masculine, practical, mature group-solidarity generating and
realistic (“no-nonsense”) temperamental dimension.
As mentioned above, high Se tends to be significantly associated with mental breakdown, both psychotic, neurotic
and psychosomatic complaints. Low Se individuals have a history of fewer illnesses and operations, more
aggressiveness and significantly greater participation in athletics and sports.

16. Shrewdness (Sh): High scoring individuals report that they prefer being around “polished”, sophisticated people.
They say that their feelings are not easily swayed and that they are polite and diplomatic about handling other people.
They prefer to keep problems to themselves. High Sh individuals may also be described as ingenious, good at clinical
diagnosis, flexible in viewpoint, alert to manners, to social obligations and to social reactions of others. The pattern
represents some sort of intellectual- educational development, not to be confused with intelligence, though it
correlates with both intelligence and dominance.
Although this dimension does looks like a socially acquired pattern of skills, there is curious initial evidence in the
clinical field that is associated with a generalized mental alertness, health, and efficiency. In group dynamics, high
Sh individuals are recorded with significantly greater frequency as leading in analytical, goal-oriented discussion
and in providing constructive solutions, while low Sh individuals receive more checks as slowing and hindering
proceedings.
Among married couples, Sh maybe an important relationship factor. Individuals who are extremely high (sten 9 and
10) on this dimension may be too detached and unable to respond appropriately to the emotional needs of the other
partner.

17. Self-sufficiency (Ss): High scoring individuals on this dimension prefer to be alone. They do not need the support
of groups. In describing themselves, they prefer to work alone rather than with committees and are good at problem-
solving themselves. High scorers also appear to be related to success at school, particularly at the upper educational
levels.
Clinically speaking, extremely high scores on 'Ss' are probably not directly indicative of any underlying pathology,
but in combination with low Social Warmth and Enthusiasm (En) or high Guilt Proneness (Gp) and Tension (Tn)
may lead to pathological withdrawal from the society. High scorers may also be associated with the incidence of
coronary heart disease and hypertension.

18. Suspiciousness (Su): The descriptions associated with high scorers on this dimension include suspecting, jealous,
dogmatic, critical and irritable. However, it is important to note that Su is a normal personality dimension which is
not to be confused with paranoia - which comes under the pathological domain. Self-reports of high Su scorers
include the notation that they do not forget mistakes easily, they say their parents were strict and demanding. They
are bothered about what others say behind their backs and they tend to be critical of others work.
Clinically, high Su indicates higher frequencies of general illness particularly peptic ulcers and high blood pressure.
Low scorers must be regarded as a healthy sign regardless of how extreme it may be.

19. Social Warmth (Sw): High Sw scorers are usually found to be very warm-hearted, personable, and easy to get
along with. Their self-reports indicate that they like to give presents to others even without any occasion. If given a
choice, they would rather sell than develop an invention. They are most satisfied and successful in occupations where
public relations or inter-personal contact is essential, such as sales positions. High Sw individuals prefer to adapt to
other people’s schedule rather than require others to adapt to their schedules. They are also more likely to share their
feelings with others. Clinically, extremely low scores (sten 1 or 2 ) may indicate unsatisfied interpersonal
relationships. In combination with other dimensions such as low Enthusiasm (En), and Boldness (Bo) or high Self-
sufficiency (Ss), it may point to a pathological dislike and avoidance of others. On the other hand, extremely high
scores (sten 9 or 10) may suggest an unhealthy and overriding need for approval by others.

20. Tension (Tn): High Tn scorers are irritated by small things, are short-tempered and may suffer from sleep
disturbances. Extreme cases involve being irrationally worried, tense, irritable, anxious, and in turmoil. In group
situations, high scorers rarely achieve leadership and have a poor concept of group unity and orderliness. It is seen
that a high score on Tn is an important indicator which signals an unmistakable S-O-S on the part of the individual.
On the clinical front, high Tn along with high Guilt-proneness (Gp) is a clear indicator of general anxiety and
differentiates normal from neurotic. It also contributes significantly to automobile accident proneness.

● PROCEDURE:
The testing procedure starts with a contact between the subject and the examiner. This contact could be for multiple
reasons like career guidance, vocational screening and the like. They might come in contact in various ways like
through internet, email, calling services and the like. Once the examiner and the subject meet, there has to be a rapport
built from the end of the examiner. This is crucial so that the subject feels at ease and gives out responses that are
true to him/her and not the ones that are socially desirable. Following the rapport building, the test administration
procedure starts. To begin with, instructions regarding the test are given out, following which, any sorts of doubts
are cleared and explained well. Then follows the responses by the subject which are marked on an answer sheet. If
in case of any response column is left blank, the administrator has to convey that none of the items can be left
unanswered and any further doubts are cleared too. This is then followed by the scoring and interpretation of results
and a debriefing session for the subject. After the subject has been given a summary of the results, s/he is thanked
for participating in the test and escorted out of the testing area by the examiner.

● ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEST:

All the forms of MAP are intended for administration in both group and individual situations. However, in case of
clinical work, the latter is preferable. The present scale is printed on an 8-page long booklet. The front page contains
the instructions for answering questions with a few examples. Pages 2-8 contain the actual test items to be answered
by the subject. Since the scale is a power test, i.e. there is no time limit, an average subject takes approximately 25-
30 minutes to complete the test.
The MAP Form A has been designed for self-administration with little supervision required. It should also be noted
that the examiner should not under any circumstance indicate to the subject that the scale is a ‘personality’ scale. If
at all any statement must be made about the nature of the scale, it should be referred to as attitude or interest scale.

● MATERIALS:

i. MAP Form A
ii. Answer sheet
iii. Answer key/stencil
iv. Profile sheet
v. Manual
vi. Stationary (pen, 2 pencils, eraser, sharpener and rough sheet for PTQs and other observations.)

● STANDARDIZATION:
The MAP Form A has only 147 items, which cover twenty normal personality dimensions. The test items have been
selected from a total pool of more than 2000 items that had been tested and refined in programmatic studies on
personality structure. Each of the items in the questionnaire has three choices from which the subject may select one
answer. Generally, the last response (C) is an “uncertain”, or “somewhat” or “undecided” type of category. The
instructions specifically urge the subject not to use this category very frequently and keep it as a last resort when
both (A) and (B) are not suitable. All the items were carefully screened, and several criteria were considered in the
final item selection.

The standardization of MAP Form A is based on more than 3000 protocols tested at more than 15 locations
throughout the country. Various research scholars, assistants, and psychologists participated in this standardization.
The sample included college students, normal adults and occupational groups from various industries. The primary
sampling considerations were geographical locations (mainly town and cities), occupations (to reflect socio-
economic status) and age.

● NORMS:
The raw scores obtained on this test are converted into sten scores. The term ‘sten’ comes from ‘standard ten’. The
sten score is distributed over ten equal intervals of standard score points, from 1 to 10.
The basic set of norms consist of normal adults and college students. Since significant differences were found
between males and females on some of the dimensions, the norms for each group were prepared separately. Thus,
there were different tables found for them too in the manual. Once the test administrator has decided which table will
be the most appropriate, the use of norm table becomes quite straightforward. A normative group data for various
occupations are also available.

● PSYCHOMETRICS SOUNDNESS:

A. RELIABILITY-
Reliability or internal consistency is the agreement of dimension scores with itself under some change of conditions.
The reliability of MAP Form A was calculated as split-half reliability and test-retest reliability coefficients with a
one-week interval.
For calculating the split-half reliability, a trail run of the present scale was conducted. The reliability was computed
for over 1000 individuals using Spearman-Brown formula. The scale was divided into two parts using the odd-even
method and care was taken to ensure that each half contained more or less the same number of questions.
The test-retest reliability was also calculated for the present scale by calculating the correlation coefficient between
two sets of scores of the same individual on the same scale, with one week’s time interval. The sample size was
approximately 600 subjects.

TEST-RETEST AND SPLIT-HALF RELIABILITY COEFFICIENTS

Dimension Test-retest Dimension Split-half

(one-week interval)

Ad .69 Ad .72

Am .63 Am .68

Bo .72 Bo .76
 Co .71 Co .75

En .70 En .73

Ga .58 Ga .62

Gp .65 Gp .69

Im .62 Im .65

In .68 In .75

Ld .68 Ld .73

Ma .65 Ma .70

Mh .70 Mh .73

Mo .72 Mo .75

Sc .61 Sc .66

Se .72 Se .75

Sh .65 Sh .68

Ss .68 Ss .72

Su .72 Su .75

Sw .74 Sw .77

Tn .72 Tn .76

B. VALIDITY
Validity refers to how well a scale measures what it purports to measure. In case of ability or achievement tests, this
can be done more easily and directly. However, in case of personality tests, establishing validity becomes a difficult
task. MAP Form A measures 20 independent personality dimensions and in order to verify that the dimensions were
indeed independent of one-another, factorial validity was used. Factorial validity is a technique which uses factor
analysis in order to show independence of each dimension. Thus, for a test to have a high factorial validity, it has to
be measuring only one functional unity with an exclusion of other elements as far as possible. The ultimate goal is
to device tests which measure only one functional unity relatively independent of others, i.e., having low inter-
correlations. Such pure tests can then be used as subtests in a comprehensive measuring instrument. In MAP Series,
these functional unities are identified by analysing the inter-correlations among a number of separate, relatively
restricted measures, which identify the common factors for obtained coefficients. Factor analysis is thus intended to
reduce the number of variables, or test categories needed to represent an individual’s traits for specific purposes.
Thus to be true to its design, each dimension should have one “important” loading and 19 “unimportant” loadings.
The factorial validity coefficients are:

FACTORIAL VALIDITY COEFFICIENTS.

Dimension Validity Coefficient Dimension Validity Coefficient.

 Ad .83 Ma .80

Am .79 Mh .83

Bo .84 Mo .84

Co .84 Sc .78

En .83 Se .84

Ga .76 Sh .80

Gp .80 Ss .82

Im .78 Su .84

In .82 Sw .86

Ld .82 Tn .84

● SCORING:
The scoring procedure in MAP Form A is quite objective and simple. Transparent stencil scoring key is available for
this purpose. The scoring procedure starts with the examiner ensuring that the subject has answered all the questions
in the booklet. If more than 15 questions are skipped, the test is considered invalid and scoring is not done.
Each question has one and only one answer. All the subtest items are given a score of 0, 1 or 2. Only the items of the
subtest GA is given a score of either 0 or 2. In order to score, the answer key or the stencil is placed on the answer
sheet and the circle on the former points out the desired answer. After scoring all the items, all the raw scores are
summed up and converted to sten scores as per the norms. Many a times, this is done in accordance with the table
given in the manual.

SCORING

Sten Score Range Interpretation

Less than 3 Low

4-6 Average

7-10 High

● APPLICATION:

i. Industries
ii. Schools and colleges
iii. Diagnostic centres
iv. Vocational guidance
v. Counselling.
 ● PARTICPANT’S PROFILE:

NAME: Ramisa Ishqui

AGE: 42 Years 11 Months.
GENDER: Female.
DOB: 11th September 1975.
DATE OF ADMINISTRATION: 31st August, 2018.
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION: HSC
REASON OF REFERRAL: Personality Assessment

● INTERPRETATION:
Multi-dimensional Assessment of Personality is a series of tests developed by Sanjay Vohra and it consists of 20
primary dimensions of personality. It is used to analyse or report individual differences in personality and consists
of three Forms- A, P and T. Tests of each form take about 45 minutes to complete.
On 31st August 2018, the MAP assessment was administered on Ramisa Ishqui a 42 years and 11 months old
female.
Since she had voluntarily agreed for the test, she was seen to be cooperative and patient throughout those 25
minutes. All during the time of conduction, she was highly concentrated and thoroughly motivated. She had even
exclaimed to have answered the questions from all his heart. It was also noted that she made sure to understand each
and every question before responding to it.

● POST-TASK QUESTIONS:
1) What do you think the test was about?
Ans: Human behaviour.
Human patience.
Hobbies.

2) Do you have any comments or questions regarding the test?

Ans: Few questions needed more options. Very of such questions, but they were there.
Okayish type of questions.

3) Did you at any point get distracted or demotivated?

Ans: No.

4) Was there any particular type of questions/ statements that you were able to respond to quickly?
 Ans: Yes, there were so many questions. I answered 90% from my heart. That’s why took me more than
half an hour. Reread questions in case of confusions.

TABLE 1: participant performance on the scale.

Sr. No. Dimensions Raw Score Sten Score

1. Ad 9 6

2. Am 10 8

3. Bo 12 9

4. Co 6 5

5. En 5 4

6. Ga 12 9

7. Gp 8 6

8. Im 12 8

9. In 6 5

10. Ld 10 7

11. Ma 8 4

12. Mh 2 1

13. Mo 4 1

14. Sc 7 5

15. Se 11 8

16. Sh 10 9

17. Ss 9 7

18. Su 8 6

19. Sw 7 5

20. Tn 14 10

Adaptability is the dimension that refers to the ability to make appropriate response changes in face of altering
situations or circumstances. It was seen that with a raw score of 9, the corresponding sten score summed up to 6.
This highlights that the participant stands in the grey area, which means, depending on the situation, the participant
sometime is adaptable, accommodating and will accept and adjust to situations

Achievement Motivation reflects the amount of actual experience an individual has had and the degree to which
s/he is currently interested and concerned. The participant achieved a raw score of 10 which corresponded to a sten
score of 8. the participant may or might not show the characteristics of the dimension of achievement motivation.
somewhat ambitious, interested in building her career and has realistic involvement in her life

Boldness is a dimension that throws light on individuals who enjoy being the centre of attention and are accepting
of challenges with open arms. The participant received a raw score of 12 that corresponded with a sten score of 9.
This score reveals that the participant is high on the dimension of boldness and that she is more likely to indulge in
activities that are adventurous, socially bold and needing energy and insight. she also stands a chance of not getting
affected by external stressors. is up for adventurous tasks but would like to be on a safer side. She might possess this
trait or not according to the situations she’s exposed to or been in.

Competition refers to the trait of being self-assertive, dominating and aggressive. With a sten score of 5, the
participant’s raw score was seen to be 6. This score falls in the grey area which means that the display of the
characteristics of this trait is situational. she may or might not always be independent minded, stern and assertive.
She would like to put forth her ideas and prefer having things in her own way. She might possess this trait or not
according to the situations she’s exposed to or been in.

Enthusiasm is related to characteristics like being cheerful, talkative and expressive. With a raw score of 5, the
corresponding sten score was seen to be 4. This implies that the participant is low on the trait of enthusiasm. It is
often possible that the participant will not indulge in activities requiring enthusiasm and that he tends to be sober,
serious and not externalizing his inner conflicts.

General Ability refers to the ability to be insightful, intellectual and good with making observations. With a raw
score of 12, the sten score obtained was 9. Lying outside the grey area, the score indicated that the display of
characteristics of this trait would not be situational. she might always act in an intellectual manner and be extremely
well with observations.

Guilt Proneness is characterized by traits such as escapism, insecurity, depression, etc. A person high on this
dimension cannot face and accept the wrongdoings that they’ve committed. The participant was seen to have a raw
score of 8 which corresponded to the sten score of 6. This indicates that the participant is above average on this
dimension and that she doesn’t shy away from responsibilities and situations. she lives in the reality and doesn’t run
away from accepting her flaws.

Imagination refers to the dimension which studies self-absorption, traditionality of ideas, practicality, etc. A person
high on this dimension shows characteristics such as being self-absorbed, impractical and untraditional in ideas. The
participant was seen to have a score of 12 which corresponded to a sten score of 8. This result implies that the
participant is above average on the trait of imagination and that the participant is not much in touch with the reality.
Apart from her own world, she sometimes comprehends and lives in a world that is practical.

Innovation refers to the trait of being liberal, analytical, creative, unconventional, etc. People high on this trait do
not believe in traditions, and rather, trust logic. In this dimension, the participant was seen to have a raw score of 6
which corresponded with a sten score of 5. This score lies in the grey area and thus it could be said that the participant
doesn’t always display innovativeness. Many a times, she doesn’t go by logic and can be conventional too.

Leadership refers to the ability to direct and control the attitudes and actions of others. As can be seen, with a raw
score of 10, the participant attained a sten score of 7. This implies that the participant is above average on this
dimension and is self-confident, exhibits a influence over others, has a some sort of strong will power and is
responsible.

Maturity is congruous with psychoanalysts’ notion of ego strength. It refers to that trait of having a realistic view of
life and being emotionally stable. The participant was seen to have obtained a raw score of 8 which corresponds to
the sten score of 4. This implies that the participant is low on this dimension. This means that she might be dissatisfied
with the world situation, her family, the restrictions of life, or his own health.

Mental Health refers to a positive state and not just a mere absence of disorders. It is a trait which consists of
various personality characteristics like emotional stability, impulsivity, self-security, and low tension. The participant
was seen have obtained a score of 2 that corresponded with the sten score of 1. This implies that the participant is
very low on this dimension. This indicates that she might be prone to physical illnesses, coronary problems and
accidents and isn’t in a very positively harmonious state of mind.

Morality is seen to be collateral with Psychoanalysis’s Super Ego. It is characterized by a high sense of duty,
attentiveness to people, emotional discipline and responsibility. As can be seen, the participant’s raw scores were 4,
which correspond to the highest sten score of 1. This indicates that the participant is extremely low on this trait. This
extreme score is associated with realistically high standards set for oneself, as a result of this, the participant may not
experience a feeling of guilt when they fail to meet the high standards. Theres a presences of flexibility, the
participant might be able to cope with extreme stress.

Self-Control includes traits such as high self-image, social consciousness, and strong willpower. People show
socially approved character responses, persistence, foresight, considerateness of others, etc. With a raw score of 7,
the participant’s sten score summed up to 5. This is indicative of a average score which highlights that the participant
is conscientious, has a behaviour control, and also has a strong control over his emotions in some situations.

Sensitivity is characteristic of traits such as tender-mindedness, over-protectiveness, dependency, and attention

seeking. The participant obtained a raw score of 11 which corresponded to a sten score of 8. This score lies outside
the grey area and suggests that the traits of this dimension will be inherited. While sometimes she might seem tender
and fidgety, at other times, she may be tough, and practical.

Shrewdness includes traits such as being calculative, immaculate and socially alert. People high on this dimension
cannot share their feelings and are not easily swayed away. The participant obtained a raw score of 10 which
corresponded to the sten score of 9. For this dimension highlighting that the display of the traits of this dimension is
due to inheritance. While the participant might sometimes seem emotionally detached, she may at other times seem
polite, diplomatic and handling problems very well.
Self-sufficiency refers to the dimension consisting of traits such as being independent, manipulative and enterprising.
People high on this trait prefer working and solving problems alone, without anyone’s help. As can be seen, the
participant scored 9 on this dimension and the corresponding sten score was seen to be 7. This indicated that the
participant’s score lied outside the grey area and that the display of the characteristics of this trait will be situational.
Thus, sometimes, the participant may become a good team player, while at other times, she may rely on himself for
doing things.

Suspiciousness is associated with traits such as being skeptical, jealous, irritable and living on frustration. However,
this dimension doesn’t coincide with paranoia but is a normal personality dimension. On this dimension, the
participant’s raw score was seen to be 8 which corresponded with the sten score of 6. This score again lies in the
grey area and thus the display of characteristics becomes situational. While the participant might sometimes be
bothered about what people say behind his back, she may at other times remain carefree and unbothered.

Social Warmth is associated with being warm-hearted, personable and easy to get along with. Such people are even
likely to share their feelings easily with others. As can be seen, the participant obtained a raw score of 7 which
corresponded with a sten score of 5. This shows that the participant is low on this dimension and that being
participative and outgoing are not characteristic of him. she may prefer ideas and things over people.

Tension is characterised by traits such as being short-tempered, suffering from sleep disturbances and getting
irritated by small things. The participant’s raw score was seen to be 14 which corresponded with a raw score of 10.
This score is extremely high and thus the display of traits under this dimension will be not situational. Thus, it can
be said that the participant is always anxious, tensed, frustrated and excited.

Conclusion: All in all, it can be seen tha participant has a variety of traits and characteristics. While for 8 dimensions,
she was seen to have lain in the grey area, for the rest 12, he was seen to have lain in varied areas. While for the
dimension of mental health and morality she has an extremely low sten score of 1, for the dimension of tension she
has an extremely high sten score of 14. Looking at these scores and also the rest of them, it could be pointed out that
participant doesn’t run away from her responsibilities and rather undertakes the duty of being and spreading
discipline. However, because she takes all the responsibilities in his hand and is not flexible enough, he is often
prone to stress and tension. she is a conventional person who is in touch with the practical side of the world but
doesn’t easily externalize her internal conflicts. Supporting the scores on boldness and gener ability come the scores
of imagination and sensitivity. These points out that participant is a very kind hearted and emotional person who has
a very good will power and ability to complete all the task . she is also seen to be focused and oriented towards her
goals and is a socially conscious being. But since some of his scores fall under the grey area, many of his reactions
are bound to be situational.

● REFERENCE
Cabrillo. (n.d.). What is Psychology. Retrieved from
http://www.cabrillo.edu/~jtice/Psychology%2033/What%20Is%20Personality.pdf
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/46484/4/04_chapter%201.pdf, accessed on September 10, 2018.
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/5323/10/10_chapter%203.pdf, accessed on September 10, 2018.
Saul, M. (2017). Theories of Personality. SimplyPsychology. Retrieved from
https://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-theories.html-
Vohra, S. (1993). Handbook for MAP (Form A). India, PSY-COM SERVICES.