Type-based measurement involves assigning candidates to a category based on their responses, whereas Trait-based provides a continuous measure of the candidate’s responses. Although Type-based measurement may allow for easier comparison between candidates, Trait-based measurement provides a truer reflection of the individual’s responses.
Although Type-based measurement may allow for easier comparison between candidates, Trait-based measurement provides a truer reflection of the individual’s responses
A good analogy for this would be the example of checking your bank account balance. If this were a Type-based measure, the information we would receive would simply be “A lot” or “Not a lot”, whereas a Trait-based measure would provide you with the exact amount of money within the account.
Although Type-based measurement may allow for easier comparison between candidates, Trait-based measurement provides a truer reflection of the individual’s responses
Returning to our example of personality questionnaires, a Trait-based measure will quantify the degree to which an individual exhibits certain attitudes or behaviours specific to the construct being measured, whereas a Type-based measure will assign them to personality type A, B or C, assuming that all those within each category are the same.
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Lisette is responsible for R&D at Test Partnership, ensuring that all our assessments meet the strictest psychometric standards. She holds an MSc in Health Psychology and is a registered test user of ability and personality testing.
