TOWARD A CLASSIFICATION OF PERSONS

It is widely recognized that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. It may be less widely appreciated that a scored autobiographical data (biodata) form, constructed to capture the major dimensions of this past behavior, is at least as good a classification as a selection device. The present study used patterns of response to such a device by repeated samples of some 2,000 college freshmen as a vehicle for casting them into subgroups. A conceptual model was then invoked, requiring that these subgroups be tested for internal homogeneity and external differentiation in terms of their responses to other measurement devices, a series of experiments and field studies, and questionnaires devised to appraise their subsequent college and postcollege experiences. The weight of evidence from these sources is heavily positive, and differential feedback from them to the subgroups provides a first approximation to the behavioral repertoires of these groups. (21/2 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.