PERSONALITY VALUES AND MOTIVATIONS IN CROSS-CULTURAL CONTEXT: ASSESSMENT BY PVQ-TEST AND HANDWRITING PSYCHOLOGY

The present study deals with an integrated approach to the assessing of basic human motivations. It combines the handwriting analysis as a projective method with the questionnaire-based PVQ (Portrait Value Questionnaire of Schwartz). The major advantage of the handwriting analysis is that it allows objective assessing the personality without the influence of the typical for questionnaires social desirability. In this study, we used its formalised model implemented in the computer program HSDetect (Chernov 2014; Чернов, 2011; Чернов 2012). The PVQ is a well-known and good validated instrument (Schwartz, 2012) that includes ten scales of human values. Therefore, the aim was to combine the advantages of both. All subjects submitted the PVQ-test and provided the samples of their handwriting. Experts quantitatively evaluated the handwriting signs of the samples and then HSDetect provided the evaluation of personality traits and finally the PVQ scales.
 Results have shown that for five PVQ scales, namely Benevolence, Power, Security, Tradition und Universalism the results of the test and the handwriting analysis are statistically significant (for the confidence level 0.95). It means that the reliability of the evaluation of these personality values is especially high. Three other scales, namely Achievement, Hedonism and Stimulation show agreement with the confidence level of 0.80. Only for two scales (Conformity and Self-Direction) the results disagree with each other. The study provides, firstly, important basis for the further formal and reliable investigation of human motivations, and, secondly, demonstrates the powerfulness of the new formalised approach – integration of projective and the questionnaire-based instruments.