Non-projective tests are tests which are considered more valid than projective tests. One of the non-projective tests is the EPPS. Have you heard about EPPS? You probably have just heard it now and you wonder what it is, the theory which becomes the center of this test and also the goals of this test. If you want to know about EPPS, you are able to read the explanation below according to the Kampus Psikologi site.
A Brief History of EPPS
EPPS stands for Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and it is a non-projective personality psychological test. This test measures the importance of a need which is personal and relative to the individual.
The development and creation of the EPPS test kit in Xu, Mellor, and Read (2017) started from the development of psychogenic needs. The development of EPPS test is also influenced by some schools in Psychology (Xu et al., 2017):
- Functionalism by Dewey dan Angell
- Dynamic Hypotheses by McDougall
- The behaviorism paradigm by Tolman and Stone in the early 20th century, which was developed with the drive construct and dynamic principles.
- Gestalt Psychology and Psychoanalysis (Freud, Jung, and Adler)
The above schools become the background for research by Murray and his friends on human needs systematically.
And then, EPPS was created by Allen L. Edwards in 1954 and was designed to show the importance of a person’s needs and motives. In 1959, this test was revised once by the Journal of Consulting Psychology in the section on test scoring and references (n,a, 2014).
Basic Theory of EPPS Test
The EPPS test is based on Henry Alexander Murray’s personality theory about the concept of needs or needs developed by Allen L. Edwards (APA Dictionary of Psychology, 2021). According to Murray in Cherry, Kendra (2012) needs often move at the subconscious level, but play an important role in someone’s personality. Murray also added that needs are used to respond to various situations in a certain way.
Here are a brief definition from Domino & Domino (2006, pp 77) about the 15 needs that are used by Murray and some others are added by other resources.
- Achievement: The need to complete a task well.
This need describes a person’s inner desire to do and achieve the best in their activities or tasks. If someone has a high achievement or is ambitious, they want to do the best they can and they like completing difficult things. - Deference: The need to follow/ join others.
A high value on deference makes a person want to “conform” to a certain person or group. In the process, they need to know the instructions, expectations, suggestions, and thoughts of others. High value on deference makes the person let others manage and lead them. - Order: The need to be organized and tidy.
If you have a friend who always looks tidy, organized, and meticulous, it means that the person has high order needs. Someone who has high order needs can also be seen from the way they set the schedule and often they will make it in good detail. - Exhibition: The need to be the center of attention.
These needs are the same as the characteristics of extroverts, like to tell stories, have a sense of humor and like telling their own experiences. They want to be the center of attention by saying interesting things. - Autonomy: The need to be free from responsibilities and obligations.
If someone has a high need for autonomy, they will come and go as they want. It means that they are independent. - Affiliation: The need to make friends.
If someone has high needs of affiliation, it signifies that they are loyal to his friends and participate actively in making friends with others. They will build a wide circle of friends and stay close to one another. - Intraceptions: The need to analyze others and himself or herself.
Person with high intraceptions likes to analyze motives, feelings, and sympathize with others. They also like to predict the way someone acts and thinks of the reasons behind someone’s actions that catch their attention. - Succorance: The need to receive support and help from others.
People who have a high need of succorance like to be given attention, in different conditions. When they appear to be in pain, they want to be helped, try to get sympathy and they are happy when other people are worried when they are sick. - Dominance: The need to lead.
If people have a high need of dominance, they will prefer to argue with others. They are competitive, want to be the chairman of the committee, and lead other people. - Abasement: The need to admit and accept mistakes.
If someone has a high need of abasement, it means that they are easy to feel guilty when they make mistakes. They feel that personal suffering and misery are better than harm. They feel the need for punishment for every wrong action. - Nurturance: The need to help or show affection to others.
People with high nurturance needs are usually good friends and they always help friends and others who are in need. They are also forgiving, sympathetic, and generous. - Change: The need for change in life.
If someone has high need of change, it means that the person likes change. They like exploring and trying things that they have never done or tried before. They also like new things and like to follow trends. - Endurance: The need to complete tasks and survive.
This need shows commitment and focus on their tasks. If people have a high need of endurance, the people will be more persistent when they do their tasks. They will do the best and as fast as possible. - Heterosexuality: The need to be attractive to the opposite sex.
This need focuses on a person’s interaction with the opposite sex. If they have high need of heterosexuality, then they will want to know more about the opposite sex. - Aggression: The need to express thoughts and be critical of others.
On one hand, the high need for aggression can mean that they are critical to others’ opinions and like to express their opinions. However, on the other hand, this person is quick to argue with other opinions, gets angry easily, and so on.
The Function of EPPS Test
In Indonesia, EPPS personality test is often used among adults and students (Rosadi, 2018). In general, this test is used for research and counselling purposes by using 15 needs as an independent personality variable (Domino & Domino, 2006, 77).
In counselling, this test is used to help someone in looking for a job that matches their work motives. For example, if someone has a high need of exhibition, they are more suitable to be an MC or Influencer.
This personality test is used to find needs that a person unconsciously has. Unfortunately, this test is often misunderstood as a personality test such as the MBTI, etc. (n.a., 2014).
Criticism of the EPPS Test
Same as other personality tests, the EPPS test needs to be adapted to the socio-cultural context of a country that wants to use it so that it is culture-fair (the impact of certain cultures on the reliability and validity of test results) and consistent/ reliable.
In this test, there is an ipsative scoring, which is used to identify faking, even though it can reduce the validity of the test (Changing Minds, n.d.). Some psychometricians say that this type of assessment has a negative correlation with other measurement methods (Meglino and Ravlin, 1998) or is not optimal for factor analysis (Cattel and Brennan, 1994).
This test is also vulnerable to social desirability, namely answers that follow the norms or expectations of society. The EPPS test uses two statements with the same level of social desirability to avoid the problem of social desirability.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
