Final answer:
The semantic differential measurement approach developed by Malhotra is effective for describing the actual, ideal, and social self-concepts of individuals, as well as images of automobiles and celebrities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The measurement approach developed by Malhotra that is effective in describing the actual, ideal, and social self-concepts of individuals as well as in describing images of automobiles and celebrities, is known as the semantic differential. This approach leverages a set of bipolar adjectives to measure the meaning associated with people's psychological or conceptual space. When employing this technique, respondents are asked to rate a concept on a series of scales bounded at each end by one of the binary adjectives. Cultural differences play a significant role in personality development, with individualistic and collectivistic cultures fostering varying concepts of self. The semantic differential technique allows for the assessment of these concepts in a manner that can be more sensitive to cultural nuances than other, more direct methods of measurement.