Inventory Responding Models People's Acceptance of Feedback 'Derived' from Tests and from Interviews

Abstract

Sixty-four undergraduates were individually and randomly given one of four assessment procedures: The Rorschach, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), Structured Interview, or Unstructured Interview. Students then completed a series of 7-point Likert-type rating scales indicating their perception of the assessment. One week later students individually received identical personality descriptors, presented either as personality "feedback" or as a personality "test". Finally, students completed a second Likert-type rating task, again indicating their faith in the assessment and perception of the examiner's skill. Layne and Michels' model that inventory responding parallels people's acceptance of Barnum feedback was supported. Descriptor favorability significantly enhanced acceptance of both "feedback" and inventory items, while type of prior assessment had no significant effect on either behavior. Student perceptions of assessment accurately paralleled characteristics of each type of assessment. Finally, student faith in the assessment and perception of the examiner's skill failed to significantly increase from before to after receiving "feedback" It was concluded that inventory responding accurately models the Barnum Effect and that people accept feedback rationally, not gullibly.