TRAIT PERSPECTIVE Individual characteristics that define a person

TRAIT PERSPECTIVE Individual characteristics that define a person.

Trait • Tendency toward certain behaviors or emotions, no matter the situation • Believe that these traits are stable & predictable over time. • Trait Perspective focus on individual differences rather than similarities like previous theories. • Trait theories seek to identify, describe and measure these individual differences.

Ancient Greek Traits • Ancient Greeks classified four personality traits – Blood - Sanguine (cheerful) – Black Bile - Melancholic (depressed) – Yellow Bile - Choleric (irritable) – Phlegm - Phlegmatic (unemotional) • Felt these were caused by humor (body fluids)

Personality Types • Type A: Driven, competitive, rigid, hostile & intense – Type A personalities that are hostile, angry and negative more prone to stress-related illness like heart disease. • Type B: Calm, laid back & easy going • Critics argue can’t place all people into just two categories.

Gordon Allport (1897 -1967) • First to try to list & describe fundamental human traits • Studied the English dictionary and found more than 18, 000 words describing specific personality traits. Eliminated synonyms to get the list to 171 • Assumed traits are inherited and fixed in the nervous system.

Allport’s Theory Personality made up of: 1. Cardinal Trait – single defining characteristic that is dominant across all situations (few of us have this) 2. Central Traits – 5 -10 traits that form the core of our personality 3. Secondary Traits – present but not as defining of a person

Raymond Cattell (1905 -1998) • Used factor analysis to reduce the list of personality traits. • Came up with 16 key personality dimensions (source traits) or factors to describe personality • Proposed Each factor was measured on a continuum • Surface trait—characteristic that can be inferred from observable behavior (friendliness, tidiness) • Generally considered as too many traits

Cattell’s 16 Personality Factors Example Questions and Profiles The 16 PF, developed by Raymond Cattell, is a self-report inventory that contains 185 items like those shown in part (a). When scored, the 16 PF generates a personality profile. In part (b), personality profiles of airline pilots and writers are compared. Cattell (1973) found that pilots are more controlled, more relaxed, more self -assured, and less sensitive than writers

Hans Eysenck (1916 -1997) • • German psychologist who researched the geneticallyinfluenced dimensions of personality Had 3 different source traits 1. Psychoticism: Emotional Empathy or Caring – Low in this means warm & caring toward others. – High in this means antisocial, cold, hostile & unconcerned about others. 2. Extroversion: Introversion-extraversion – Degree to which a person directs their energies inward toward themselves (introvert) or outward onto others (extrovert). 3. Neuroticism: Emotional stability- Instability (Stable – Unstable) – A person’s predisposition to become unpredictable & emotionally upset (unstable) or stay composed, rational and emotionally even (stable). Remember as P. E. N. Generally considered as too few traits

Eysencks’ Personality Factors

Eysencks’ Personality Factors

Eysencks’ Personality Factors

Eysencks’ Personality Factors

Eysencks’ Personality Factors

Eysencks’ Personality Factors

Eysenck is similar to Hippocrates Melancholic Plegmatic Choleric Sanguine

William Sheldon & body types (1898 -1977) Your body type determines your personality

Sheldon’s endomorph • Love of food • Love of comfort • Sociable • Good-humored • Relaxed • Tolerant

Sheldon’s ectomorph • Self-conscious • Private • Introverted • Intense • Artistic • Restrained

Sheldon’s mesomorph • Adventurous • Dominant • Courageous • Indifferent • Competitive • Risk-taker

Is Sheldon’s Theory Accurate? • No, It is based on Stereotypes.

The Notorious BIG 5 Theory • Most popular trait theory • Essential building blocks of personality can be described in 5 basic personality dimensions. • Described somewhat differently among researchers but can be found cross culturally. • Research shows them to be stable over time & consistent over different situations. • Human behavior is the result of interaction between traits and situations.

O. C. E. A. N. • OPENNESS – How open you are to new experiences & learning? • CONSCIENTIOUSNESS – The degree to which one is responsible, hard working, reliable (dependability) • EXTROVERSION – How outgoing, expressive, active & social are you? • AGREEABLENESS – How honest, considerate, likeable & tolerant are you? • NEUROTICISM – How anxious, self-conscious or impulsive are you?

The “Big Five” Traits

The “Big Five” Traits

The “Big Five” Traits

The “Big Five” Traits

The “Big Five” Traits

Evaluation of Trait Perspective • Psychologists generally accept that people can be described & compared in terms of basic personality traits. • Trait Personality Tests are used to match people together and with appropriate jobs. BUT Trait Theory… • Doesn’t really explain where personality comes from, simply describe the behaviors • Fails to address how issues such as motives, unconscious, or beliefs about self affect personality development