EXERCISE 4.1: DEFINING A PERSONALITY TRAIT OBJECTIVE: To gain practice in defining a construct as a part of test specification.

There are a large number of personality differences that to date have little or no means of assessment. While some of these constructs are well defined, others suffer the disgrace of poor construct definition. Following is a list of words and phrases that describe propensities that can differ across individuals. Select one of the following constructs and develop a clear definition that could serve as the first step toward the operationalization of the construct. Be sure to specify the

(a) context and

(b) dimensionality of the construct as well as its

(c) relationship to, and differentiation from, related constructs.

List of Possible Constructs 1. Jealousy 2. Patience 3. Impulsiveness 4. Street smarts 5. Empathy 6. Selfishness