Personality Theories:
Trait/Dispositional
Perspectives
Definition
• A trait is any readily-identifiable,
stable quality that characterizes
an individual from other
individuals
• Traits serve three major
functions:
– To summarize, predict, and
explain a person’s conduct
Basic Assumptions
• Traits present specific ideas about a
person’s disposition (the way a person
is likely to behave across situations as
well as over time)
• Human behavior and personality traits
can be placed on a continuum or
organized into a hierarchy
Theorists
• Gordon Allport (1897-1967)
• Raymond B. Cattell (1905-1998)
• Hans J. Eysenck (1916-1997)
Gordon Allport
Allport’s Disposition Theory
• Allport suggested that each individual
has a unique set of personality traits
– He called these personal dispositions
– Allport divided traits into three
categories:
• Cardinal,
• Central,
• Secondary
Allport’s Theory (con’t)
• Cardinal Traits
– A trait so
dominant a
person’s
entire life
revolves
around it.
– Most people
do not have
one.
• Central Traits
– Qualities that
characterize a
person’s daily
interactions
– Most people
have 5 to 10
central traits
– To understand a
person, one
should look at
the pattern of
central traits
• Secondary Traits
– Characteristics
that are exhibited
in specific
situations
– Secondary traits
are more easily
modified than
central traits
Allport’s Theory (con’t)
• Allport claimed that everyone are unique  everyone
has a different combination of traits
• Allport recommended an in-depth study of the
individual, through analyzing diaries and use of
interviews
• Secondary traits are more easily modified than central
traits
• Most people have many more secondary traits than
central traits
Raymond B. Cattell
Cattell’s Trait Theory
• Three sources of data are required to uncover
all the major dimensions of personality:
– L-data
• Gathered from one’s life records
– Q-data
• Information gathered from questionnaires and
interviews
– T-data
• Information obtained from objective testing
situations
• These 3 sources must be incorporated to
capture the full complexity of human
personality.
Cattell’s Theory (con’t)
• Cattell used factor analysis to discover which traits tend to
cluster together
• Cattell termed obvious, day-to-day traits, “surface” traits
and higher-order, “deep” traits, source traits
• Cattell came up with a list of sixteen factors of personality
(each a continuum from one extreme to the other), and
developed a questionnaire that could be used to
measure each of these factors in an individual or a group.
• The factors identified by Cattell were:
– sociable-unsociable, intelligent-unintelligent, emotionally stable- unstable,
dominant-submissive, cheerful-brooding, conscientious-undependable,
bold-timid, sensitive-insensitive, suspicious-trusting, imaginative-practical,
shrewd-naïve, guilt proclivity-guilt rejection, radicalism-conservatism, selfsufficiency-group adherence, self-disciplined-uncontrolled will, and tenserelaxed.
Hans J. Eysenck
Hans J. Eysenck
• Eysenck's early work took place at approximately the same time
as Cattell's and used an almost identical method.
• However, Eysenck used factor analysis slightly differently, and
came up with only two factors: extroversion-introversion and
neuroticism-stability.
• He focus on higher levels of trait organization called types:– Types incorporate lower-level elements (traits)
– Each trait incorporates even lower-order qualities (habits)
• Eysenck argues that all personality traits can be grouped under
three bipolar dimensions: Extraversion-Introversion (E),
Neuroticism-Stability (N), Psychoticism-Superego Function (P)
• Extraversion charatcterizes people based on their orientation
toward external sources of stimulations from the environment
versus an orientation inward at the opposite extreme.
– Extroversion- introversion refers to a person's tendency to
seek stimulation and novelty: a person who is highly
extroverted is more likely to take risks, to have many friends,
and to be outgoing than someone who is highly introverted.
• Psychotism includes a disposition toward psychosis and a
degree of sociopathy.
• Neuroticism is basically a measure of emotional stabilityinstability.
– Neuroticism-stability refers to a person's tendency to
become emotionally upset. Eysenck believed that these two
traits were heavily influenced by biology.
Five Factor Model
Many theorists agree there are five
broad categories of traits:
1. Extraversion-introversion
2. Agreeableness-antagonism
3. Conscientiousness-undirectedness
4. Neuroticism-stability
5. Openness to experience
Belief Regarding Basic Nature
• Resulting from a biological basis & neuropsychological functioning within the
environment.
• Eysenck’s found that introverts are more easily
aroused by events and learn social prohibitions
more easily than extroverts  they are more
restrained and inhibited.
• Eysenck hypothesized that individual differences
along this dimension have both hereditary and
environmental origins.
Methods in Assessing Personality
• Interviews
• Projection Tests
• Situational Tests
• Self Reports
• Reputational Reports
Examples of instruments used in
assessing traits
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory( MMPI)
– the most widely researched and clinically
used of all personality tests
– developed to identify emotional disorders
Evaluating Trait Theory
• Trait theory, especially the Big 5 model, is able to
describe personality
• Cross-cultural human studies find good agreement for
the Big 5 model in many cultures
– Appear to be highly correlated not only in
adulthood, but also in childhood and even late
preschoolers
– Three dimensions (extraversion, neuroticism and
agreeableness) have cross-species generality
• Problems with trait theory include:
– Lack of explanation as to WHY traits develop
– Issue of explaining transient versus long-lasting traits
References
• Costa, P. & McCrae, R. (2003). Personality in
Adulthood.NewYork: Guildford Press.
• Lahey, B. (2001). Psychology an Introduction
(8th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Lawrence, P. & Oliver, J. (2001). Personality
Theory and Research (8th Edition). United
States: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Liebert, L. & Libert, R. (1998). Personality
Strategies & Issues (8th Edition). Pacific grove,
Publishing Company: Brooks/Cole.