Stefan-Laurentiu Leca

2770090

Personality and Theory Assessment

Tutorial Group 10 – Laureline van der Tak

Vrije Univeristeit Amsterdam

09/07/2023

WORD COUNT: 2467

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to offer a comprehensive understanding of Mr. B's personality,

particularly in relation to his ability to handle conflicts. Therefore, the research question this

report seeks to address is: to what extent does Mr. B's personality help or hinder him in

dealing with conflicts? The primary motivation behind conducting this research can be

attributed to my partner's request for me to select a research topic on his behalf. Since I had

limited knowledge about Mr. B, I thought it would be intriguing to gain insight into his

conflict resolution capabilites. This report focuses on Mr. B's personality in order to examine

how his unique traits and characteristics affect how he responds to difficult circumstances,

particularly conflicts. It is crucial to look into the various facets of his personality that either

help him navigate and handle conflicts successfully or get in the way of that ability.

Understanding how people deal with conflict is important for both personal development and

interpersonal relationships, which is why this study is important. We can pinpoint areas of

strength or potential improvement by gaining insight into Mr. B's conflict resolution

techniques. This information can help him improve his ability to resolve conflicts, create

healthier relationships, and advance his personal development.

Biographical Information

Mr. B, 23 years old, grew up in a small town in Germany with his parents and two younger

siblings. He now lives separately from his parents to pursue his studies. During his childhood,

Mr. B faced challenges at home and school due to hierarchical disputes, but his parents

remained supportive. Also, he was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. Sports became his

refuge, playing a significant role in his development. He underwent therapy to enhance his

self-reflection skills, despite finding it challenging initially. Academically, Mr. B lacked

interest in school early on, but as his athletic abilities improved, conflicts gradually
diminished. He gained experience in teaching public speaking and excelled in swimming. In

his work history, he enjoyed roles such as transporting items in a hospital and being a

personal trainer, but working in a storage facility was less fulfilling. Mr. B possesses

exceptional debating skills and values considering opposing viewpoints. He engages in

debates without getting emotional and maintains friendships with people who hold

contrasting opinions. Mr. B consciously avoids emotionally charged arguments, believing

they can strengthen friendships if they occur. He has had a stable and argument-free romantic

relationship for over a year.

First Impressions

Mr. B exudes a calm demeanor and demonstrates a willingness to discuss various facets of his

life. Notably, he possesses a tendency to provide detailed and elaborate responses, delving

deeper into the questions posed to him. He exhibits a confident and extroverted demeanor, by

readily expressing his thoughts and opinions. Throughout the interview, he maintains

excellent eye contact, showcasing his attentiveness and engagement in the conversation,

further expressing his confident and extroverted demeanor. It is worth noting that he

occasionally fidgets with a pen, likely seeking additional sensory stimulation during the

interview.

Hypothesis

Mr. B's personality traits and experiences contribute to his effective handling of conflicts. His

ability to engage in debates, consider opposing viewpoints, and maintain friendships with

individuals holding contrasting opinions suggest a level of emotional maturity and conflict

resolution skills. Additionally, his calm demeanor and willingness to discuss various aspects

of his life indicate a comfort and openness in addressing conflicts. These traits, combined
with his self-reflective skills developed through therapy, may enable him to navigate difficult

situations and maintain healthy relationships.

Questionnaires/Tests

HEXACO-PI-R

In relation to the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R), it is a self-

report questionnaire designed to assess six fundamental personality traits: Honesty-Humility

(H), Emotionality (E), Extraversion (X), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), and

Openness to Experience (O). The questionnaire's norm group comprised 2,188 first-year

psychology and educational science students enrolled at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

from 2007 to 2013.

In the domain of Honesty-Humility (H), Mr. B falls below average to slightly above average.

However, his partner him as low in this domain. The facets of "Greed Avoidance" and

"Modesty" stood out as significantly different from Mr. B's scores. While Mr. B rated himself

as average in these facets, his partner's assessment placed him below average. This suggests

that Mr. B may appear more greedy and less modest to his partner compared to how he

perceives himself.

Regarding the Emotionality (E) domain, there was no notable difference between Mr. B's

score and his partner's score. Both individuals rated the report of Mr. B as very low to low

and very low accordingly, on the scale. This suggests that even in the event of a conflict, Mr.

B is more likely to withdraw, as the argument would likely hold less emotional significance

for him. This aligns with Mr. B's statement about his inclination to avoid such conflicts.

However, this rating could also mean that there would be a very low level of empathy
involved in the he takes part of arguments. This could have a negative consequence in any

emotionally charged arguments that could occur between Mr. B and important people in his

life.

In terms of Extraversion (X), there is once again a difference in scores. Mr. B rated himself in

the slightly below average to slightly above average category, while his partner scored him at

an above-average level. The facets of "Social Self-Esteem" and "Sociability" stood out as the

most notable differences. Mr. B scored himself as low and average in these facets,

respectively, while his partner assessed him as average and high. These score discrepancies

suggest either an underestimation by Mr. B in terms of his extraversion or a divergence in

perception between the two individuals regarding Mr. B's true nature.

In the domain of Agreeableness (A), both Mr. B and his partner scored relatively similar

results. These scores classify Mr. B as falling within the slightly below average to above

average range. It is worth noting that Mr. B and his partner exhibited a high level of

agreement in terms of Forgiveness and Patience, suggesting that Mr. B is unlikely to hold

grudges after an argument and that it wouldn't greatly affect him, aligning with his statements

during the interview such as: him being friends with people that fundamentally have different

opinions than him. Additionally, the high score in Patience indicates his willingness to listen

and consider different perspectives before jumping to conclusions, which can lead to a

positive impact on conflict outcomes.

When examining the Conscientiousness (C) domain, there is a significant disparity between

Mr. B and his partner's scores. Mr. B scored very high, while his partner scored Mr. B as

slightly below average on the norm scale. However, since this particular domain is not

strongly related to conflict, it will be omitted from further analysis.

In the Openness to Experience (O) domain, both Mr. B and his partner obtained somewhat

different scores but on the same side of the spectrum. Placing them slightly above average to

very high from Mr. B and slightly above average from his partner, respectively. This is

strongly related to the idea of Mr. B being open to listening to and understanding ideas, even

ideas that he does not agree with. This can further back up his skills of navigating an

argument in a healthy way.

BIS/BAS

The Reinforcement Sensitivity scale is a tool designed to assess two fundamental

reinforcement systems present in the brain. One system, known as the Behavioral Activation

System (BAS), is attuned to rewarding stimuli, while the other system, called the Behavioral

Inhibition System (BIS), is sensitive to aversive or punishing cues. The norm was based on

1,974 first-year psychology and educational science university students.

When evaluating B.'s results on the BAS scale, it is noted that his scores fall below the

average range. This suggests that he tends to exhibit less impulsive behavior compared to the

normal group. In other words, B. demonstrates a tendency to exercise more self-control and

think before acting in response to rewarding stimuli.

On the BIS scale, B.'s scores indicate that he falls very low on the norm scale. This implies

that he may have a very reduced sensitivity to negative emotions and aversive experiences.

As a result, B. is likely to not be affected or discouraged by situations that others may find

threatening or fear-inducing. Further emphasizing his willingness to participate in arguments,

with friends or strangers, something that some people might find threatening to participate

into.

ICAR
The ICAR scale evaluates a range of cognitive abilities such as Verbal Reasoning (VR),

Letter and Number Series (LN), 3D Rotation (R3D), and Matrix Reasoning (MR). The

reference group for this assessment consisted of 1153 first-year students studying psychology

and educational science, who have an IQ higher than the average population.

B.'s ICAR score falls within the range of low to above average, indicating that their cognitive

ability may range from lower than average to above when compared to the norm group. Mr. B

attributed his performance difficulties to the test's excessive length and the restricted time

available, which he believed hindered his ability to perform well.

DIT

The DIT scale evaluates an individual's capacity to engage in reasoning based on their

personality traits. The norm scores of this examination were derived from the score

distribution of 180 individuals who were either partners, family members, close friends, or

acquaintances of the psychology and educational science student cohort in 2016.

B.'s Total Score on the DIT scale spans from below average to slightly above average,

suggesting that their ability to reason using personality traits falls within the range of slightly

below average to normal when compared to the norm group. Given his Extrapolation score it

can be assumed that B is less likely to predict what behavior an individual is more inclined to

show. However, Mr. B’s score in Induction shows that he performs better at predicting what

someone’s behavior would be based on their personality.

Lola/CIQ

The Lola/CIQ questionnaire was administered to assess Mr. B.'s vocational interests. This

questionnaire evaluates six distinct constructs of interests, namely Realistic, Investigative,

Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. The norm group used for comparison
purposes consisted of 2452 individuals, approximately half of whom were psychology

students.

Mr. B achieved a middle score in the Realistic domain, suggesting a potential interest in

hands-on activities. In the Investigative domain, he received a high score, indicating his

observant and analytical nature. Similarly, he attained a middle score in the Artistic domain,

implying his potential for originality, imagination, and enjoyment of creative pursuits. In the

Social domain, Mr. B's score was average compared to the norm group, suggesting a potential

inclination toward helping and counseling others. Concerning the Enterprising domain, he

obtained a high score, demonstrating his desire for leadership roles and enjoyment of such

positions, showing correlation to his self-fulfillment and independence values. Finally, in the

Conventional domain, Mr. B's score was categorized as middle, indicating his relative

efficiency, carefulness, organization, and conscientiousness. Overall, it can be inferred that

Mr. B does not have a strong preference and could potentially excel in various fields, given

his combination of high and intermediate scores across the six domains.

Schwartz Values Survey (SVS)

The Schwartz Values Survey (SVS) questionnaire was employed to evaluate fundamental

values across two broad dimensions: Self-Enhancement versus Self-Transcendence and

Conservation versus Openness to Change. The analysis of the questionnaire responses

involved a sample of 490 participants recruited from Brock University and the University of

Calgary in 2006 and 2008. The SVS comprises 10 distinct subscales that represent various

values, such as Power, Achievement, Hedonism, Stimulation, Self-Direction, Universalism,

Benevolence, Tradition, Conformity, and Security.

Significant observations emerge from the results, particularly in the areas of Hedonism and

Tradition, where Mr. B exhibits notably low scores. Mr. B's low score in Hedonism may be

associated with his diminished BAS, highlighting his heightened self-control. Conversely, the

very low Tradition score indicates that Mr. B is likely more open-minded and not confined by

societal and cultural norms. Furthermore, Mr. B's low scores in Universalism and

Benevolence are noteworthy, suggesting that he places less emphasis on the well-being of

those around him. Furthermore, correlation with his low scores in Emotionality.

Additionally, Mr. B demonstrates noteworthy high scores in Achievement and Self-Direction.

These scores indicate that he is strongly influenced by self-fulfillment and values

independence.

Integration

After carefully considering the comprehensive results of the questionnaires, tests,

biographical information, and first impressions, a detailed overview of Mr. B's personality

emerges. To begin, Mr. B possesses a calm and confident demeanor, displaying an eagerness

to discuss various aspects of his life. He exhibits a penchant for providing thorough and

elaborate responses, delving deep into the questions posed to him. Mr. B confidently

expresses his thoughts and opinions, showcasing his extroverted nature.

However, upon further analysis of his personality using diverse questionnaires, it becomes

evident that conflicts hold less emotional significance for Mr. B. He tends to withdraw rather

than engage in emotionally charged arguments. This could potentially indicate a lower level

of empathy during such conflicts, which may have negative implications for his important

relationships.

On the positive side, Mr. B demonstrates an ability to let go of grudges after an argument and

remains unaffected by conflicts, as evidenced by his friendships with individuals holding

differing opinions. Additionally, he exhibits openness to new ideas and a willingness to

understand them. Mr. B exhibits significant self-control, leading him to carefully consider his

actions before acting negatively.

However, it is worth noting that Mr. B may be less inclined to consider the well-being of

those around him, prioritizing his own achievements and valuing independence. He is driven

by a strong desire for achievement and is likely to confront challenges head-on in pursuit of

his goals.

Final Interview

During the final interview, Mr. B's feedback shed light on certain inconsistencies. In addition

to exploring specific aspects of his personality and interpersonal relationships, additional

biographical information was gathered to offer a more comprehensive response to the

research question. Importantly, Mr. B expressed no significant objections to the content of the

report or the assessment of his personality.

Conclusion

To a certain extent the results of this report support the hypothesis that Mr. B’s personality

traits, combined with his self-reflective skills developed through therapy, may enable him to

navigate difficult situations and maintain healthy relationships.

Conflicts hold less emotional significance for Mr. B, leading him to withdraw rather than

engage in emotionally charged arguments. Nevertheless, Mr. B exhibits positive qualities

such as the ability to let go of grudges and remain unaffected by conflicts. Moreover, Mr. B

displays significant self-control, carefully considering his actions before responding

negatively. However, Mr. B’s avoidance of an emotionally charged argument and lack of

empathy could impact on his important relationships. Also, his drive for achievements and
independence could make him seem less aware of the welfare of the people around him.

These are some weaknesses that could hinder Mr. B’s ability to deal with conflicts.

Based on Mr. B’s strengths and weaknesses, I would advise Mr. B to never dismiss

emotionally charged arguments, especially when these are with family and/or friends. Aswell

as, to be more aware of people’s welfare while focusing on professional and personal goals.

Attachments:

Peer Feedback

‘’The report provided an accurate and comprehensive depiction of my personality. The author

demonstrated excellent listening skills. The report effectively addressed the strengths and

flaws within my personality, and I found it fascinating to read about. I am grateful for the

valuable insights and advice offered, and I am committed to applying them in my life,

particularly when faced with conflicts.’’

Peer Signature:
Trait Self-score 95% CI Stanines Label

Honesty-Humility 3.47 3.18 – 3.76 3, 4, 5, 6 Below Average to Slightly Above Average

Emotionality 2.19 1.90 – 2.48 1, 2 Very Low to Low

Extraversion 3.66 3.39 – 3.93 4, 5, 6 Slightly Below Average to Slighlty Above Average

Agreeableness 3.13 2.82 – 3.44 4, 5, 6, 7 Slightly Below Average to Above Average

Conscientiousness 4.56 4.25 – 4.87 9 Very High

Openness to experience 3.81 3.48 – 4.14 6, 7, 8, 9 Slighlty Above Average to very high

Altruism 4.38 - 7 Above average

Proactivity 4.75 - 9 Very High

HEXACO

HEXACO OTHER

Trait Score other report Stanines Label

Honesty-Humility 2.75 2 Low

Emotionality 2.03 1 Very Low

Extraversion 4.09 7 Above Average

Agreeableness 2.94 5 Average

Conscientiousness 3.06 4 Slightly Below Average

Openness to experience 3.34 6 Slightly Above Average

Altruism 3.13 2 Low

Proactivity 4.63 9 Very High

BIS/BAS
Score Stanines Label

BAS 2.69 3 Below Average

BIS 1.43 1 Very Low

ICAR

Score 95% CI Stanines Label

11 6.8-15.2 2,3,4,5,6,7 Low to Above Average

DIT

Score 95% CI Stanines Label

Below Average to Slightly Above

Total 51 43.67 – 58.33 3,4,5,6
Average

Induction 15 10.98 – 19.02 4,5,6,7,8 Slightly Below Average to High

Extrapolation 20 15.22 – 24.78 2,3,4,5,6 Low to Slighly Above Average

Contextualization 16 12.59 – 19.51 3,4,5,6,7 Below Average to Above Average

LOLA/CIQ
Interest Score (stanine) Label

Realistic 5 Middle

Investigative 9 High

Artistic 6 Middle

Social 4 Middle

Enterprising 8 High

Conventional 4 Middle

SVS

Value Score Stafives Label

Power 2.25 3 Average

Achievement 6.25 4 High

Hedonism -0.67 1 Very Low

Stimulation 4.33 3 Average

Self-direction 6.00 4 High

Universalism 3.25 2 Low

Benevolence 4.40 2 Low

Tradition 0.60 1 Very Low

Conformity 4.00 3 Average

Security 2.60 2 Low