TRAIT THEORY OF PERSONALITY Understand individuals by breaking

TRAIT THEORY OF PERSONALITY Understand individuals by breaking down behavior patterns into observable traits, (instead of observable behaviors). Personalities are determined by a combination of traits. BASIC ASSUMPTIONS: 1. Personality Traits are relatively stable, and therefore predictable. 2. Personality Traits are consistent in diverse situations. 3. Each person has a different set or degree of particular traits.

GORDON ALLPORT (1897 -1967) INFERRING TRAITS FROM BEHAVIOR What people do is a great clue as to personality traits. If a person enjoys, biking, running and hiking, we can infer they are athletic (a trait), if they enjoy mountain climbing and moto-x, we might infer they are adventurous. -We can infer traits by observing people in natural or experimental settings.

ALLPORT’S 3 CATEGORIES OF TRAITS Cardinal Traits Central Traits Secondary Traits -Dominates personality across time and situations. -Five to Ten traits that are stable across time and situation. -Characteristics that are only evident in certain situations. -Most important component of personality ie. Ambition or selfsacrifice. -Very few people develop a cardinal trait – usually late in life. -Building blocks of personality ie. Friendliness, meanness, happiness. -General adjectives that would be used to describe someone -Basis for most personality theories -Less obvious and consistent ie. Liking icecream, disliking Rap music -Of less importance to personality theorists.

RAYMOND CATTELL (1905 -1998) Cattell condensed thousands of traits to 16 primary traits. The 16 PF (personality factors) test is still in use today. Divided personality traits into 2 categories: • SURFACE TRAITS: Behavior we see people engaging in on a regular basis. Easily observed. • SOURCE TRAITS: produce the behaviors we can see. Underlie surface

HANS EYSENCK (1916 -1997) • Argued that only 2 factors were necessary to explain personality differences. Proposed a 2 factor model to encompass Cattell’s 16 factors. • FACTOR 1: Extraversion-Introversion • FACTOR 2: Neuroticism – Emotional Stability

Costa & Mc. Rae’s : ‘Five Factor Theory’ More recent research suggests that 5 personality factors seem to be inherited or at least appear early on in most people. Important to ignore + or – connotations with terminology. Everyone possesses all 5 of these traits to a greater or lesser degree. (Continuum rather than have or not have).

EXTRAVERSION INTROVERSION -Engaged with external world - Quiet & low-key -Enjoy being around others - Disengaged from external world – don’t seek out social involvement -Energetic & enthusiastic - Prefer solitude -Attention seekers - Require less stimulation than extraverts -Often positive - Shyness sometimes mistaken for unfriendliness

AGREEABLENESS • Value getting along with others • Considerate, friendly, generous, helpful • Willing to compromise • Optimistic view – believe that people are basically honest, decent & trustworthy DISAGREEABLENESS • Place self interest above getting along with others. • Unconcerned with others’ well-being, unlikely to extend themselves for others. • Skeptical of others’ motives – suspicious, unfriendly, uncooperative While agreeableness is obviously advantageous for attaining & maintaining popularity, it is not useful in situations requiring tough or absolute decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists, critics or soldiers.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS IMPULSIVITY • Contemplation & careful planning. • Snap decisions, acting on impulse • Persistent, reliable • Fun, zany, exciting • Prudence (wise & cautious) – Conscientious people are typically considered intelligent by others. • Unreliable, lacking ambition • Avoid trouble • Often successful • Can be perceived as stuffy or boring • Perfectionists & workaholics • Distractibility = smaller, scattered and/or inconsistent accomplishments • Responding to impulse – short term pleasure, but long term consequences • Ie. Drug use - long term effects on health

NEUROTIC STABLE • Tendency to experience negative feelings eg. Anxiety, anger, depression • Less easily upset & emotionally reactive • Emotionally reactive • Calm & emotionally stable • More intense responses, more likely to interpret situations as threatening or minor frustrations as hopeless difficult • Free from persistent negative feelings • Irritability • Problems in emotional regulation result in ability to think clearly, make decisions or cope. (* Does not necessarily mean an abundance of positive feelings – that falls under extraversion).

OPENNESS(TO EXPERIENCE) CLOSE-MINDEDNESS - Imaginative, creative • Down-to-earth, conventional - Intellectual curiosity, appreciative of art, sensitive to beauty • Narrow, common interests - Ability to think in symbols or abstract terms • Prefer straightforward and obvious. • Embrace familiarity – resistant to change - More aware of feelings - Individualistic & Non-conformist - Intellectuals often score high on openness – but not directly related to intellect. * Although openness is often presented as more mature –closed thinking can be more useful. Research shows closed thinkers thrive in areas such as police work, sales & service occupations

THE BIG 5 PERSONALITY TEST http: //www. outofservice. com/bigfive/ http: //personality-testing. info/tests/BIG 5. php http: //psychcentral. com/personality-test/start. php