Advantages of self reports include:

- Large amounts of information

- Access to internal thoughts

- Simple and easy to obtain

- Definitional truth (indisputable)

- Causal forces (Self efficacy and self verification)

Advantages of Self Reports

Disadvantages of self reports include:

- Personal Bias 

- Error due to lack of awareness 

- Too simple and easy, likely overused

Disadvantages of Self Reports

Contains studies that used the Big 5 Personality Traits (often self-reported) in their methodology.

Studies that Utilize the Big 5 Personality Traits 

Self reports are data collected by an individual about themselves. Self reports are also referred to as self judgements.

Examples:

- rate your compassion level  on a scale of 1-10

- true or false: you are a risk taker

- You enjoy trying new things. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, strongly disagree, etc.  

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Personality psychologists can analyze several types of data to draw conclusions and test hypotheses.

 Common forms of data collection include:

- Self Reports

- Informant Reports

- Life Outcomes

- Behavioral Observations

Sources for Data in Personality Psychology

Funder, D. C. (2019). The personality puzzle. New York, NY: W. W. Norton &amp; Company.

The Personality Puzzle

Self Reports

Informant reports are data collected about an individual that comes from someone who knows that individual. They are a form of judgement based on common sense, experience, and rating the behavior of others.

Examples:

- letters of recommendation

- gossip



Informant Reports

Life outcome data comes from events in a subjects life that may have happened due to their personality. 

Examples:
- police records
- medical files
- personal questions

Life Outcomes

Behavioral observations come from direct observation of a subject's actions. This data can be natural, where the subject is unaware that their behavior is being observed. Most instances, however, are laboratory behavioral observations.
Examples:
- personal investigators (natural)
- experiments (lab)

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