ABSTRACT
Prior to the 1990s, the use of personality tests in occupational settings was widespread but controversial. Some occupational psychologists argued that there was no evidence that assessment by personality questionnaire had anything to offer over and above the assessment of specific competencies using, for example, work-sample tests within assessment centers. Personality tests are more difficult to validate than ability tests because each is measuring something different. Orpheus is an example of a psychometric test battery that utilises the Big Five model of personality. Within Orpheus, the Big Five model is re-conceptualised as a domain theory of personality, i.e. each of the Big Five factors is considered to be unique to a particular psychological domain. Hence R. B. Cattell for example has argued that the Big Five model does not address the full complexity of personality, and that a more extensive model, such as his 16PF, is required to dredge this valuable detail.
