1. Types:
discontinuous categories
2.Traits:
continuous categories
Trait Theory
1. Nomothetic:
traits have the same psychological meaning in everyone
2. Idiographic:
each person is unique and traits are individualized
Trait theory is a way to describe/predict but it is not a theory of development
All Trait Theories try to:
1. Account
for consistency and explain differences
2. Identify
core traits
3. View
behavior as indication of a trait
4. Use
psychometric methodology
A. Steps:
1. Collect
data
2. Calculate
correlations
3. Derive
factors and factor loadings
4. Name
factors
B. Problems:
1. Output
depends on input
2. Type
of data used
3. Labeling
of factors
4. Number
of factors
Trait Theorists
Gordon Allport—The “father” of this approach
A.
Common traits – traits that help us understand similarities
between people
B.
Personal traits - what makes us unique.
1. Cardinal
disposition - one single trait that defines everything for a
person.
2. Central
disposition - 5-10 highly characteristic and frequently seen
personal traits.
3.
Secondary disposition
- influential traits that are less consistent and generalized than central or
cardinal traits.
Raymond Cattell
A.
Factor Analysis
reduction of 4500 trait words (left by Allport) to 16 most basic and primary
personality dimensions.
1. Source vs. Surface Traits
a. Source Trait: causal factor trait that determines
how a person responds
b. Surface Trait: manifestation of a source trait
Hans Eysenck
A.
Theory Driven
1.
He took the theories of Jung, and others before him (eg., Hippocrates, etc) and
conceived of a basic 2X2 matrix of super traits. (overhead)
a)
Introversion-extraversion - tendencies toward sociability, craving for
excitement, liveliness, dominance, activeness
b)
Emotionality-stability - ease and frequency with which the person becomes upset
and distressed, with greater moodiness, anxiety, and depression reflecting
greater emotional instability.
The Big 5:
1. Neuroticism:
propensity to experience a variety of negative affects
2.
Extraversion: lively
sociability or positive emotionality
3.
Openness to Experience:
imaginative, creative, perceptive, knowledgeable, verbal, reflective
4.
Agreeableness: good
natured, good hearted, sympathetic, warm, likeable, docile, compliant,
nurturing
5.
Conscientiousness:
careful or thorough person, or a person guided by conscience.
Competing Explanations
1.
Self report biases
2.
Situationism
a. Strong situations
b. Weak
situations
3.
Interactionism and Context Dependency
4.
Personal selection of environment
5.
Reciprocal determinism on environment
6.
Consistency variables
7.
Low reliability – need to aggregate