1. a graphic presentation of results from psychological testing that provides a summary of a person’s traits or other unique attributes and tendencies. Because various scores appear in one display, a researcher can see the pattern of high and low scale scores for a given person. For example, a profile of an individual’s test results from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory would display his or her scores on measures of depression, hysteria, masculinity/femininity, paranoia, social introversion, and other attributes.

2. a summary of traits and behavioral tendencies that are believed to be typical of a particular group or category of individuals (e.g., people with a particular disorder, people employed in a particular profession).