The Effects of Personality Tests on State and Trait Anxiety

Newmark, Charles S.; Hetzel, W.; Frerking, Ruth Ann

doi:10.1080/00223891.1974.10119934

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The task of dealing with imprecision in the provocative and deliberately contradictory stimuli, as well as uncertainty regarding the adequacy of one's responses, occurs in an interpersonal context while the respondent interacts with a relative stranger (sitting adjacent) who is observing and transcribing the exchange. These features make the task moderately stressful, and more physiologically stressful than assessment by other methods, such as self-report (e.g., Momenian-Schneider et al, 2009;Newmark et al, 1974Newmark et al, , 1975.…”

Section: Key Features Of the Taskmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Active Bayesian Brain and the Rorschach Task

Meyer

Friston

2022

Rorschachiana

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Abstract. The Rorschach offers a unique and interesting paradigm from the perspective of the (Bayesian) brain. This contribution to the cross-disciplinary special issue considers the Rorschach from the perspective of perceptual inference in the brain and how it might inform subject-specific differences in perceptual synthesis. Before doing so, we provide a broad overview of active inference in its various manifestations. In brief, active inference supposes that our perceptions are the best hypothesis to explain sensory impressions. On a Bayesian account, the requisite belief updating rests sensitively upon the precision or confidence ascribed to sensory input, relative to prior beliefs about the causes of sensations. This focus – on the balance between sensory and prior precision – has been a useful construct in both cognitive science (e.g., as a formal explanation for attention) and neuropsychology (e.g., as a formal explanation for aberrant or false inference in hallucinations). In this setting, false inference is generally understood as abnormally high precision afforded to high-level hypotheses or explanations for visual input, which may compensate for a failure to attenuate sensory precision. On this view, the Rorschach offers an interesting paradigm because the amount of precise information about the causes of visual input is deliberately minimized – and rendered ambiguous – thereby placing greater emphasis on prior beliefs entertained by the respondent. We close by exploring this issue and several other areas of intersection between Rorschach responding and active inference.

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Section: Key Features Of the Taskmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Active Bayesian Brain and the Rorschach Task

Meyer

Friston

2022

Rorschachiana

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“…The response processes associated with varying levels of structure have been subjected to minimal empirical scrutiny. Newmark, Hetzel, and Frerking (1974) compared adults' self-reports on taking a structured (MMPI) and nonstructured (Rorschach; Exner, 2003) test and found greater increases in state anxiety following the less structured instrument. A subsequent study with children (Newmark, Wheeler, Newmark, & Stabler, 1975) obtained the same pattern of findings in relation to the structured/nonstructured contrast.…”

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confidence: 97%

Psychophysiological Reactions to the Response Phase of the Rorschach and 16PF

Momenian-Schneider

Brabender

Nath

2009

Journal of Personality Assessment

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In this pilot study, we investigated whether there was a differential psychophysiological response during the beginning, middle, and end of the administration of a performance-based instrument (Rorschach Inkblot Method, RIM; Exner, 2003) versus a self-report measure of personality (Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, 5th ed. [16PF]; Cattell, Cattell, & Cattell, 1993). Results indicate that adult participants (n = 15) experienced greater electrodermal activity during the administration of the RIM as compared to the 16PF. Effect sizes for the differences between the instruments were all very large (Cohen's d = 1.71 at beginning, d = 1.1 at middle, and d = .98 at end).

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“…However, their anxiety measures were based on a posttest written essay on "Who am I? ", which is a rather indirect, inferred method of anxiety assessment and does not distinguish between situational and chronic anxiety.Newmark, et al ( 7 ) investigated the effects of individual administrations of four psychological tests (Rorschach, TAT, MMPI, Rotter Sentence Completion Test) on state and trait anxiety to a normal college population. The results suggested that the mere process of taking certain projective tests, nameIy the Rorschach and TAT, produced a significant increase in state anxiety scores that was only temporary and abated within 24 hours.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Procedure. A similar procedure to that advocated by Newmark, et al ( 7 ) was followed in which each S received individual administrations of four psychological tests (Rorschach, TAT, RIMPI and Rotter Sentence Completion Test) in counterbalanced order over a 4-day period with a test-retest interval of approximately 24 hours. Immediately prior to and immediately after administration of each psychological test, Ss received the STAI.…”

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Test-induced anxiety as a function of psychopathology

Newmark¹,

Ray²,

Lyman³

et al. 1974

J. Clin. Psychol.

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PROBLEMEquivocal and often contradictory findings have resulted from studies that investigated the effects of anxiety on the performance of various groups that were receiving administrations of psychological tests. Newmark and Dinoff (6) provided evidence that such inconclusive findings were attributable in part to the failure to consider the effects of both state and trait anxiety@).I n contrast, only two investigation^'^^ ') have focused attention on anxiety produced as a function of the particular psychological test that was being administered. Milterl et al. (6) found that Ss who took the MMPI displayed a significant increase in anxiety as a function of the test experience. However, their anxiety measures were based on a posttest written essay on "Who am I?", which is a rather indirect, inferred method of anxiety assessment and does not distinguish between situational and chronic anxiety.Newmark, et al. ( 7 ) investigated the effects of individual administrations of four psychological tests (Rorschach, TAT, MMPI, Rotter Sentence Completion Test) on state and trait anxiety to a normal college population. The results suggested that the mere process of taking certain projective tests, nameIy the Rorschach and TAT, produced a significant increase in state anxiety scores that was only temporary and abated within 24 hours. In contrast, the more structured, direct assessment methods, namely the MMPI and Sentence Completion Test, did not induce any significant changes in state anxiety. I n all cases, trait anxiety scores were noted to remain relatively stable as a function of the experimental procedures.If one views the Rorschach and TAT as potentially ego-threatening, stressprovoking stimuli due to their amorphousness and ambiguity, then these findings are highly consistent with numerous investigations, reviewed by Spielberger, Gorsuch and Lushene (11), that showed that state anxiety increases during exposure to stimuli that are ambiguous and provide a potential threat to self-esteem.The primary goal of this study was to assess the effects of stress associated with the administration of four commonly used psychological tests of personality assessment on measures of state and trait anxiety as these concepts are defined by Spielberge~-(~* l o ) with a psychiatric population. State anxiety (A-State) is conceptualized as a transitory emotional state characterized by subjective, consciously perceived feelings of tension and apprehension accompanied by or associated with heightened autonomic nervous system activity that may vary in intensity and fluctuate over time. In contrast, trait anxiety (A-Trait) refers to relatively stable individual differences in anxiety proneness that are not influenced by situational stress. METHODSubjects. Ss were 24 white male and 29 white female hospitalized psychiatric patients between the ages of 17 and 31 years (M = 23.4, SD = 4.8) who were diagnosed as either schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type (N = 16); character disorder, sociopathic type (N = 20); or neurotic disorder, depressive t...

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The Effects of Personality Tests on State and Trait Anxiety

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

The Active Bayesian Brain and the Rorschach Task

The Active Bayesian Brain and the Rorschach Task

Psychophysiological Reactions to the Response Phase of the Rorschach and 16PF

Test-induced anxiety as a function of psychopathology

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