Personal Orientation Inventory Research Articles

Prediction of Attrition from a Therapeutic Community

This project attempted to identify potential dropouts from a therapeutic community utilizing results from the Personal Orientation Inventory. It was hypothesized that the higher the Personal Orientation Inventory score, the sooner the resident would drop out of the program. It was also hypothesized that the scales would be better predictors of length of stay than the demographic variables traditionally gathered in such programs. The Personal Orientation Inventory was a weak but significant predictor of length of stay and a better predictor of length of stay than were the demographic variables.

Internality vs Externality and Personal Adjustment: A Factor Analytic Study

This study compared three tests to determine the degree to which they might be measuring a single construct: Rotter's Internal-External Reinforcement Scale, Rest's adaptation of Kohlberg's test of moral development, and selected scales from Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory. All three scales were expected to show positive relationships with a measure of personal adjustment, the Tennessee Self-concept Scale. Numerous significant correlations were found among these instruments, suggesting some commonality in the personality dimensions being measured. There were enough differences to suggest continued refinement and to mitigate against substitution of one test for another without loss of information.

Relationship of Sex-Role Stereotypes and Self-Actualization

Self-actualization is an illusive construct that has been the focus of many personality theories. Rogers (1951) conceptualized a self-actualized person as one who is efficient in self-expression in interpersonal relations. Maslow (1971) has hypothesized that the self-actualized person makes no real strong differentiation berween the roles and personality appropriate for either sex. Some empirical evidence exists that strong sex-role stereotypes restrict the individual's flexibility of expression (Btm, 1974). Conversely. the androgynous individual or one who is free of rigid sex roles seems better prepared to deal with new interpersonal situations. Although there appears to be a relationship between androgyny and self-actualization, little has been published on its nature. The present study examined the differences in androgyny among groups of adults of high and low self-actualization. Subjects were 32 male and 32 female graduate volunteers attending Arizona State University. All 64 subjects were administered both the Personal Orientation Inventory (Shostrom, 1964) and the Bem Sex-role Inventory (Bem, 1974) using a counterbalanced procedure. On the basis of self-acmalization scores obtained from the Shostrom scale, the group was divided at the med~an into high and low self-actualized groups wich 32 subjects per group. Mean androgyny scores from Bem's scales were calculated for both groups and berween group differences evaluated by using a t ratio. Specifically, an androgyny score is the difference becween an individual's masculine and feminine self-endorsement, an ideal score being zero. The mean androgyny score for the high self-actualized group, -.07 (SD = 1.05), was significantly nearer zero than that of the low self-actualized group, -.78 (SD = .84; t~ = 2.18, p < .05). A further analysis showed no significant difference becween males and females on either androgyny or self-actualization scores. These results provide tenmtive support for the contention that individuals who are highly self-actualized are also free from strong sex-role stereotypes. Perhaps, traditional concepts of masculinity and femininity restrict an individual's flexibility in self-expression in new interpersonal situations. Androgyny may expand the range of behavior for both sexes, permitting people to respond more effectively in diverse situations.

The relationship of self-disclosure to personality, adjustment and self-actualization.

This study tested the hypothesis that a high level of self-disclosure is indicative of psychological adjustment and self-actualization. The self-disclosure scale, Social Avoidance and Distress, Fear of Negative Evaluation, Alienation and Repression-Sensitization scales were administered to 60 Ss. The results for all scales indicated that a high level of disclosure was associated with adjustment as measured by these scales. A second group of 94 Ss completed the self-disclosure scale and the Personal Orientation Inventory, a measure of self-actualization. The results indicated that high disclosers compared to low disclosers had achieved a higher level of self-actualization. That is, there were significant correlations between self-disclosure and measures of self-actualization such as Time Competence, Internal Support, Existentiality, Self-Acceptance and Capacity for Intimate Contact.

Interpersonal communication and self‐actualization

The Interpersonal Communication Report, a scale to measure dimensions of interpersonal communication relevant to psychological health, was developed using factor analysis. Subjects' scores for the three factors of expressiveness, self‐disclosure, and understanding were positively and significantly correlated with scores on the Personal Orientation Inventory, a measure of self‐actualization. It is tentatively concluded that this study provides a useful measure of three important interpersonal communication variables and a bit of specific data regarding their relationship to self‐actualization.

Patients with Hypertension

Nursing intervention may help patients with hypertension reduce their anxieties. Two successful instruments for determining areas in which patients need counseling and/or nursing intervention are the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and the Personal Orientation Inventory.

Level of School Counselor Actualizing and Student Perception of Guidance Services: Further Validation of the Personal Orientation Inventory

This study investigated the relationship between level of counselor actualizing and student evaluation of their high school guidance program. The samples included the counselor in each of 23 Ohio high schools who completed Shostrom's (1963) Personal Orientation Inventory and 1,658 of their respective eleventh grade students who completed Wysong's (1971) Guidance Program Evaluation Student Survey. Significant correlations were obtained between student ratings of the effectiveness of the guidance program and POI scales of Time Competence and Spontaneity. Thus the more actualizing the counselor as measured by the POI the more likely the students were to assign high ratings to the school guidance program.

Effect of an Innovative Academic Program upon Self-Actualization and Psychosocial Maturity

AbstractThe impact of an innovative educational program upon its participants' personality development was assessed by comparing 15 entering freshmen in the program with appropriate matched controls on changes in self-actualization and psychosocial maturity as measured by the Personal Orientation inventory and the Inventory of Rsychosocial Development. Results indicated that control subjects increased their scores on approximately one-half of the scales of these inventories while program participants' scores either remained the same or went down ( p > .05 ). These results were contrasted with previous research on the personality development of students in an innovative educational program and discussed in terms of possible reasons for this unexpected finding.

Developing One's Potential: From West to East

This study examines the impact of sensitivity training on participants' self- actualization in the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Japan. Although the Japanese and Turkish participants showed less change than the English on the Personal Orientation Inventory, there is some evidence that sensitivity training can be applied to non-Western countries. The results suggest that as the economic and social conditions change and create a cultural environment more favorable to self-actualizing tendencies, individuals will respond more positively to educa tional innovations such as experiential learning groups.

Correlates of Counselor Self‐Actualization and Client‐Perceived Facilitativeness

Client ratings of the abilities of 33 school counselors to communicate the core facilitative conditions of empathy, regard, congruence, and trust were compared to the counselors' scores on a measure of self‐actualization. The results supported the contention that there exists a strong relationship between self‐actualization and counselor effectiveness as perceived by clients. The potential usefulness of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POl) in the screening and selection of counselor candidates is indicated.

Field-dependent introverts, extraverts and psychological health.

Fine (1972) reported several studies indicating the existence of an antagonistic or unhealthy relationship between Eysenck's introversion and Witkin's field-dependence dimensions. Those individuals who scored both as introvert and field-dependent on appropriate psychological measures also scored significantly higher on neuroticism than those who scored any other combination of introversion-extraversion and field-dependenceindependence. The present study extends Fine's work into the area of psychological health qua self-actualization. Stemming from a previously published study (Doyle, 1975), those individuals who scored extreme field-dependent, i.e., one sigma above the Rod-and-frame Test mean (M = 4.20, SD = 3.02) and had either extraversion scores on the Eysenck Personality Inventory (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1968) of 13 or above (extraverts, n = 16) or extraversion scores of 7 or less (introverts, n = 5) became the target sample. The fielddependent introverts obtained a significantly higher neuroticism score (M = 17.00. SD = 3.41) than the field-dependent extraverts (M = 10.67, SD = 6.27; tip = 2.09, p < .05), which is consistent with Fine's hypothesized unhealthy relationship between introversion and field-dependence. With respect to the field-dependent extraverts' and introverts' scores on the Personal Orientation Inventory (Shostrom, 1966), an objective measure of self-actualization, all of Shostrom's scales were higher, i.e., more self-actualizing, for the field-dependent extraverts save the Feeling reactivity (Fr) and Nature of man constructive (Nc) scales. Three Personal Orientation Inventory scales were significantly higher (p < .O5) for the field-dependent extraverts' group, those of Time competence (TC), Existentiality (Ex), and Self-acceptance (Sa). From this it appears field-dependent extraverts tend to be relatively more content and at ease in their present life situation, more flexible in their coping strategems with novel situations, and more likely to accept their perceived human frailties than are field-dependent introverts. Thus, the present study appears to confirm to a limited degree Fine's thinking that field-dependent extraverts are more likely to experience less personal conflict qua neurosis and are more likely to exhibit various personal characteristics considered to evidence psychological health qua self-actualization than field-dependent introverts.

Self Actualization in Marital Enrichment

The study attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Pairing Enrichment Program (PEP), a marriage enrichment program, in enhancing self‐actualization. Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) was administered to an experimental group of married couples immediately prior to participating in PEP. A waiting list control group completed the POI at the same time. Three weeks later, following the completion of PEP for the experimental group, the POI was again administered to both groups. An analysis of co‐variance was performed to test the effects of gender, group, and the interaction of these two factors on change in self‐actualization (Post‐POI minus Pre‐POI), adjusting for six co‐variables: Education of each, age of each, number of years married, and number of children. The results indicated that 1) being husband or wife had no significant effect on one's level of self‐actualization, and that 2) the change in level of self‐actualization was significantly greater (Positive Direction) for PEP participants than for non‐PEP participants on the “I” and ”C” scales of the POI

Effect of knowledge about self-actualization on faking the Personal Orientation Inventory.

Effect of knowledge about self-actualization on faking the Personal Orientation Inventory.

Modifications of the Personal Orientation Inventory for improved specific trait prediction.

Modifications of the Personal Orientation Inventory for improved specific trait prediction.

Effect of knowledge above self-actualization on faking the Personal Orientation Inventory.

Effect of knowledge above self-actualization on faking the Personal Orientation Inventory.

Modifications of the Personal Orientation Inventory for improved specific trait prediction.

Modifications of the Personal Orientation Inventory for improved specific trait prediction.

COMPARISON OF PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: HIGH AND LOW ABILITY STUDENT NURSES AND YEAR OF TRAINING IN NEW ZEALAND

Seventy-five student nurses at the Southland Hospital, Invercargill, New Zealand, were assessed independently by ward and tutorial staff on a 5-point scale rating the quality of their work. Comparisons of high and low ability students were then made on scores from the following instruments: Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, Wilson-Patterson Conservatism Scale, Allport-Vernon-Lindsey Study of Values, Cattell 16 Personality Factors Test, Shostrom Personal Orientation Inventory. “t” tests of significant differences between means revealed the following profiles for the high ability student nurse: (a) Comparison based on ward staff ratings of ability: conservative, religious, dogmatic, and low on political and economic values: (b) comparison based on tutorial staff ratings of ability: relaxed, higher on social values, and tends to live in the past or future rather than the present. A comparison of the three years showed that the student nurse most likely to stay in the program had the following profile: more political, less religious, less acceptant of aggression, and higher ward rating.

Effectiveness of Crisis Center Volunteers and the Personal Orientation Inventory

43 university students who had volunteered for crisis center work were initially evaluated for positive characteristics via the Personal Orientation Inventory, then later rated on semantic differential scales for effectiveness as volunteers. Among the rating scales were those purported to measure empathy, nonpossessive warmth, and genuineness. In the present study, positive characteristics as inventoried yielded more negative significant than positive correlations with supervisors' ratings of effectiveness. All were small to moderate in magnitude. Strong, active, energetic, self-directed, and genuine gave the largest negative rs with inventory scales. This study does not confirm earlier findings with somewhat similar samples and procedures. The Personal Orientation Inventory might be measuring positive characteristics of the more tender-minded, while supervisors of crisis workers were favoring the strong, active, and genuine.

Group Composition and Changes in Self-Actualization in T-Groups

A field experiment is reported concerning ten one-week sensitivity training groups. Groups were composed-according to their scores on Schutz's FIRO-B. It was predicted that the optimal conditions for change were provided by heterogeneous compositions. Three groups were composed to be heterogeneous for control behaviour but homogeneous for affection behaviour. Three further groups were homogeneous for affection but heterogeneous for control. The remaining four groups were heterogeneous for both need areas. Changes on Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory were found in all conditions. Control-heterogeneous groups increased on 'existentiality' and 'nature of man' subscales, while affection-heterogeneous groups increased on 'inner-directedness' and 'feeling reactivity'. Groups heterogeneous for both need areas showed change on all four of these POI scales. Most change thus resulted from the groups with the most heterogeneous compositions.

Self-Actualization and Attitudes toward Women

150 subjects were administered Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory and Kirkpatrick's Feminist-antifeminist Belief-Pattern Scale. Results indicated self-actualizing beliefs and attitudes correlated significantly with profeminist attitudes. rs were of small magnitude. Implications are drawn with regards to sex-role stereotypes and self-perception.