Final answer:
The correct answer is 'a. self-report inventory'. Self-report inventories like MMPI are used to assess personality traits and are straightforward, while projective tests aim to reveal unconscious elements through ambiguous stimuli.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is option a. self-report inventory. Self-report inventories are objective tests used in psychological assessment to evaluate various aspects of a person's personality. These inventories typically consist of multiple-choice items or use a Likert-type scale.
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is one such self-report inventory. On the other hand, projective tests like the Rorschach Inkblot Test and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) are used to uncover unconscious aspects of personality by interpreting ambiguous stimuli.
It's important to understand the difference between these assessments. Self-report inventories provide structured questions that allow an assessment of certain declared characteristics, attitudes, or beliefs through the respondents' direct responses.
They can be susceptible to social desirability bias, as individuals may portray themselves in a light that they believe to be more favorable. However, these inventories, including the MMPI, are commonly used due to their ease of administration, cost-effectiveness, and ability to provide a quantified measure of personality traits or clinical conditions.