Detecting Inaccurate Response Patterns in Korean Military Personality Inventory: An Application of Item Response Theory

Abstract

There are concerns regarding the risk of the inaccurate responses in the personality data. The inaccurate responses negatively affect in the individual selection contexts. Especially, in the military context, the personality score including inaccurate responses results in the selection of inappropriate personnel or allows enlistment dodgers to avoid their military duty. This study conducted IRT-based person-fit analysis with the dichotomous military dataset in the Korean Military Personality Inventory. In order for that, 2PL model was applied for the data and person-fit index l_(z) was used to detect aberrant respondents. Based on l_(z) values of each respondent, potentially inaccurate respondents was identified. In diagnosing possible sources of aberrant response patterns, PRCs was assessed. This study with the military empirical data shows that person-fit analysis using l_(z) is applicable and practical method for detecting inaccurate response patterns in the personnel selection contexts based on the personality measurement.