Assignment 1 ,
30 MCQ answers WITH feedback. Personology.
Questionnaire scenario
You own a company specialising in psychological consultation. The company is called PsyConsulting.
You employ a number of professional psychologists, as well as student psychologists who do their
practical at the organisation. At PsyConsulting every day begins with a morning meeting to discuss the
business of the day. The meeting is attended by qualified psychologists working for your organisation
as well as the student psychologists. You chair the meeting. You inform everybody that you met with
the directors at the South African Parks Board (SAPB) the previous day. As has been widely reported
in the news, rhino poaching in South African game reserves has increased drastically in the past few
years. In an attempt to combat illegal poaching activities, the SAPB has been tasked with assembling
a specialist anti-poaching unit. The unit will be responsible for implementing anti-poaching protocols
in three of South Africa’s game reserves. The success of the anti-poaching unit depends on the
selection of suitably qualified and experienced game rangers. Apart from being suitably qualified,
rangers also have to be of a particular psychological and behavioural profile. This profile requires that
successful candidates have the ability to manage a high- risk and psychologically demanding job.
Applicants are profiled, using psychological questionnaires specifically developed for this purpose.
SAPB approached PsyConsulting to assist them in ensuring the suitability of the questionnaires
required for selecting and recruiting the rangers. Due to the high-risk nature of the work candidates
need to be screened thoroughly for psychological stability. This makes the selection process very
difficult, especially because hard evidence has to be produced to justify the selection of some
candidates and the rejection of others. This requires scientific and objective procedures. The
questionnaires that are to be used for screening and selection purposes were obtained from a
recruitment agency based in the Australia. SAPB conducted a pilot study in which they used the
questionnaires. The pilot study showed that 10 items in the questionnaires may not be suitable.
Therefore, SAPB wants PsyConsulting to review these questionnaire items. Discussing the problem …
Martha: So, there are 10 questionnaire items that may be problematic. You: Yes, and we have to
determine what may be wrong with them.
Sandra: I presume the questionnaires are psychological in nature, that is they are based on proper
theory?
You: Yes, the questionnaires are based on psychological theory. The appropriateness of these
,theories is part of what we have to look at in our review of the items.
Martha: And I assume we have to consider this in relation to the purpose the instruments
are intended for.
You: Exactly! I obtained the statistical information generated by the pilot study. So, I suggest we focus
on those questionnaire items that look really bad in terms of their statistical indicators. Assess new
items to be included in the two questionnaires required by SAPB. SAPB acquired two questionnaires
for screening applicants for positions as game rangers working in the anti-poaching unit. These
questionnaires were developed and tested in Australia. As such not all items are necessarily suitable
for use in an international context. In fact, a pilot study showed that at least 10 items (five in each of
the two questionnaires) need to be replaced with new items. Martha obtained the relevant materials
form SAPB and compiled the test specifications outline. She gives the specification outline to the
student psychologists, and tasks them with formulating new questionnaire items.
Test specification outline
All applicants who qualify on the basis of their academic qualifications are invited to partake in the
selection processes. Psychological profiling forms a major component of the selection process.
Applicants are selected for a psychologically demanding job, which calls for personal strength. These
individuals have to be self-reliant, personally driven and willing to take control of their circumstances.
They also need to work well as part of a team: Together, the game rangers have to engage challenges,
following prescribed protocols and specialised methods when they are out in the bush.
Two questionnaires were obtained by the SAPB to identify individuals who display the psychological
profile required for the job. The first questionnaire is the Learning Behaviour Questionnaire (LBQ) and
is based on social cognitive learning theory. The second questionnaire that is used to screen applicants
for the job is the Self-Actualisation Questionnaire (SAQ) and is based on the Maslow’s theory of needs
gratification. Assessing for internal locus of control, self-efficacy and learning through self-regulation:
The
relevance of social cognitive learning theory
From a social cognitive learning theory perspective behaviour occurs in the interaction between the
person (person variables) and the situation (environmental factors). Working as part of the
antipoaching unit requires the ability to be self-directed and a willingness to take responsibility for
personal actions. In other words, the required set of personality variables refer to individuals who are
self-reliant, personally driven and willing to take control of their circumstances. The person who is
,likely to produce this kind of behaviour is somebody who maintains an internal locus of control, has a
high level of self-efficacy, and tends to learn through self-regulation. The items based on this theory
must therefore succeed in identifying: (1) individuals who believe that they can exercise personal
control over their circumstances (i.e. individuals with an internal locus of control), (2) individuals who
perceive themselves as personally able to do so (individuals with a high self-efficacy perception), and
(3) individuals who manage their behaviour in a self-reflecting and self-regulatory manner (individuals
who learn through self-regulation). Assessing for optimal development: The relevance of Maslow’s
theory. Maslow’s theory explains human behaviour in terms of need gratification. People have certain
basic needs which are hierarchically arranged. These deficiency needs are biological, safety, love
and esteem needs. These must be satisfied regularly in order for the need for self-actualisation, which
is at the top of the hierarchy, to become apparent. The tendency towards self-actualisation is the
underlying motive of all behaviour. When functioning at the level of self-actualisation growth
motivations come to the fore. Optimally developed individuals are motivated by these meta-needs
which include the need for autonomy, self-acceptance (and acceptance of others) and resistance
against enculturation.
Questionnaire items based on Maslow’s theory must identify individuals whose behaviour and
personality characteristics resemble the optimally developed person as closely as possible. In specific,
individuals applying to work as game rangers therefore need to demonstrate
1) that their deficiency needs are being met regularly and that they are functioning optimally;
2) that they live their lives according to strict ethical and moral codes,
(3) that they function relatively autonomously and resist convention, and
(4) that they are involved in some calling not directed at the satisfaction of their own needs but that
serves some greater cause or purpose.
Proposed questionnaire items
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