Abstract
Dependability is critical for the reliability and validity of trait(-like) measures. Therefore, a detailed understanding of the dependability of self-report and informant measures of non-pathological and pathological personality traits is critical to determine how transient error may influence our knowledgebase of personality. The present study examined the dependability of the self-report and informant BFI, PID-5-SF, and PiCD. Furthermore, it tested if the self-report and informant forms are differentially dependable. 385 MTurkers completed self-report and informant-report BFI, PID-5-SF, and PiCD measures twice over a 1-week retest. Self-report measures frequently demonstrated higher dependability than informant report measures. Notably, this pattern predominantly emerged for traits comprising the positive and negative affect continua, suggesting content may influence susceptibility to error. Benchmark comparisons indicated the self-report and informant PID-5-SF and PiCD are modestly less dependable than the self-report BFI, suggesting suboptimal dependability. Lastly, included personality measures were generally less dependable than physical and demographic characteristics, with the exception of race. Overall, the dependability of the self-report and informant BFI, PID-5-SF, and PiCD may be acceptable; however, they demonstrate important cross-method and cross-measure differences in dependability, which must be carefully considered when interpreting research using these measures.
Degree Date
Summer 8-5-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Psychology
Advisor
Michael Chmielewski
Number of Pages
113
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Trujillo, Mayson; Chmielewski, Michael; Baldwin, Austin; Bowen, Holly; and Fisher, Matthew, "An Empirical Examination of the Dependability of the Self-Report and Informant Forms of the BFI, PID-5-SF, and PiCD" (2025). Psychology Theses and Dissertations. 64.
https://scholar.smu.edu/hum_sci_psychology_etds/64
