Skills

Psychology 10: Personality and Individual Differences

8 weeks · 2 milestones

Traits, how they are measured, and what they predict. Course 10 of the Varsity Curriculum: Psychology. Free sources only. Foundations only. Not a clinical or counselling qualification.

Part of: Psychology · Proves for: UG

Milestone map

2 milestones

Explain the trait models

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Read OpenStax chapter 11 and the Noba module on personality traits. Self-check: chapter 11 review questions. Then make a summary of the Big Five model and one rival, with the evidence for each.

Proof required

Link the public repo or shared document with a summary of the Big Five model and one rival, with the evidence for each, with every source cited.

What gets checked

Each model is stated fairly.
Evidence is cited.
Limits of self-report are named.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A summary of the Big Five model and one rival, with the evidence for each.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 10: Personality and Individual Differences
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Each model is stated fairly.
Evidence is cited.
Limits of self-report are named.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Check a questionnaire's reliability

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Use the Open Psychometrics raw data and OpenIntro's chapter on correlation. Self-check: chapter 11 review questions. Then make a notebook that scores an open Big Five dataset, computes reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and the trait correlations.

Proof required

Link the public repo with a notebook that scores an open Big Five dataset, computes reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and the trait correlations: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

Reverse-keyed items are handled.
Reliability is computed and read correctly.
No one in the data can be identified.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A notebook that scores an open Big Five dataset, computes reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and the trait correlations.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 10: Personality and Individual Differences
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Reverse-keyed items are handled.
Reliability is computed and read correctly.
No one in the data can be identified.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Psychology 10: Personality and Individual Differences →

Related outcomes

All outcomes

Skills

Psychology 10: Personality and Individual Differences

8 weeks · 2 milestones

Traits, how they are measured, and what they predict. Course 10 of the Varsity Curriculum: Psychology. Free sources only. Foundations only. Not a clinical or counselling qualification.

Part of: Psychology · Proves for: UG

Milestone map

2 milestones

Explain the trait models

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Read OpenStax chapter 11 and the Noba module on personality traits. Self-check: chapter 11 review questions. Then make a summary of the Big Five model and one rival, with the evidence for each.

Proof required

Link the public repo or shared document with a summary of the Big Five model and one rival, with the evidence for each, with every source cited.

What gets checked

Each model is stated fairly.
Evidence is cited.
Limits of self-report are named.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A summary of the Big Five model and one rival, with the evidence for each.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 10: Personality and Individual Differences
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Each model is stated fairly.
Evidence is cited.
Limits of self-report are named.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Check a questionnaire's reliability

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Proof required

What gets checked

Reverse-keyed items are handled.
Reliability is computed and read correctly.
No one in the data can be identified.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A notebook that scores an open Big Five dataset, computes reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and the trait correlations.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 10: Personality and Individual Differences
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

Reverse-keyed items are handled.
Reliability is computed and read correctly.
No one in the data can be identified.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Psychology 10: Personality and Individual Differences →