TRAIT PERSPECTIVE
Stable Enduring Predispositions to
Behave in a Certain Way.
Trait
• A characteristic pattern of behavior or a
disposition to feel and act, as assessed by
self-report inventories and peer reports
• Trait Perspective focus on individual
differences rather than similarities like
previous theories.
• Trait theories seek to identify, describe and
measure these individual differences.
Types of Traits
• Trait—relatively stable predisposition to
behave in a certain way
• Surface trait—characteristic that can be
inferred from observable behavior
• Source trait—Most fundamental dimensions
of personality; very broad traits that are
relatively few in number and give rise to
surface traits.
Ancient Greek Traits
• Ancient Greeks classified four personality
traits
– Sanguine (cheerful)
– Melancholic (depressed)
– Choleric (irritable)
– Phlegmatic (unemotional)
• Felt these were caused by humor (body
fluids)
Gordon Allport (1897-1967)
• American psychologist and trait theorist who
researched the idea that individual personalities
are unique
• Studied the English dictionary and found more
than 4,000 words describing specific personality
traits.
• Stressed importance of studying mentally
healthy people
• Resisted the idea of finding “personality law”
that would apply to everyone
Theorists
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Raymond Cattell—16 PF
Hans Eysenck—Three factor model
William Sheldon – Body Types model
McCrae and Costa—Five factor model
Raymond Cattell (1905-1998)
• English psychologist who researched
whether some traits predicted others
• Used factor analysis to come up with
16 key personality dimensions or
factors to describe personality
• Proposed Each factor was measured on
a continuum
• Generally considered as too many
traits
Cattell’s 16 Personality Factors
Example Questions and Profiles The 16PF, developed by Raymond
Cattell, is a self-report inventory that contains 185 items like those
shown in part (a).
When scored, the 16PF 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)
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German psychologist who researched the genetically-influenced dimensions
of personality
Had 3 different source traits dimensions
1. Introversion-extraversion
– Degree to which a person directs their energies inward toward
themselves or outward onto others.
2. Emotional stability- Neuroticism (Stable – Unstable)
– A person’s predisposition to become emotionally upset or stay
emotionally even.
3. Psychoticism
– Low in this means warm & caring toward others.
– High in this means antisocial, cold, hostile & unconcerned about
others.
Generally considered as too few traits
Using the first two dimensions he created 4 basic personality types (see next
slide)
Recent brain scan studies show specific personality traits can produce individual
differences in the brain’s reaction to emotional stimuli (Focus on Neuroscience)
Eysencks’ 4 Personality Types
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
Five Factor Model
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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.
5 Factors—usually rated from low to high
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Extraversion
Neuroticism
Openness to Experience
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
Human behavior is the result of interaction between
traits and situations.
The “Big Five” Traits
The “Big Five” Traits
The “Big Five” Traits
The “Big Five” Traits
The “Big Five” Traits
The Trait Perspective
• Play “Personality Traits” (3:32)
Segment #29 from Psychology: The
Human Experience.
Behavioral Genetics
• Interdisciplinary field that studies the effects of genes
and heredity on behavior
• Heredity seems to play a role in four of the “big five”
personality traits—extraversion, neuroticism, openness
to experience, and conscientiousness
• Influence of environment is at least equal to that of
genetic factors.
• Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart – found striking
similarities in identical twins that did not occur in
fraternal twins.
• Similarities in identical twins may result from unique
configuration of interacting genes called emergenic
traits.
Evaluation of Trait Perspective
• Psychologists generally accept that people can be
described & compared in terms of basic
personality traits.
BUT Trait Theory…
• Doesn’t really explain personality, simply describe
the behaviors
• Doesn’t explain the development of the different
behaviors/personalities
• Fails to address how issues such as motives,
unconscious, or beliefs about self affect
personality development