A major challenge for trait theorists was how to identify traits. They started by generating a list of English adjectives after reading about bias in Chapter 3 I bet you can see a problem here.
The list was later reduced to 4, by Allport but even this was far too many traits. In an effort to make the list of traits more manageable, Raymond Cattell , narrowed the list to 16 factors and developed a personality assessment called the 16PF. It is the most popular theory in personality psychology today and the most accurate approximation of the basic trait dimensions Funder, Traits are scored along a continuum, from high to low rather than present or absent all or none.
Instead, our personalities typically are composed of multiple traits. Central traits are those that make up our personalities such as loyal, kind, agreeable, friendly, sneaky, wild, and grouchy. Secondary traits are those that are not quite as obvious or as consistent as central traits. They are present under specific circumstances and include preferences and attitudes. For example, one person gets angry when people try to tickle him; another can only sleep on the left side of the bed; and yet another always orders her salad dressing on the side.
And you—although not normally an anxious person—feel nervous before making a speech in front of your English class. In an effort to make the list of traits more manageable, Raymond Cattell , narrowed down the list to about traits. Cattell identified 16 factors or dimensions of personality: warmth, reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, liveliness, rule-consciousness, social boldness, sensitivity, vigilance, abstractedness, privateness, apprehension, openness to change, self-reliance, perfectionism, and tension [link].
He developed a personality assessment based on these 16 factors, called the 16PF. Instead of a trait being present or absent, each dimension is scored over a continuum, from high to low. For example, your level of warmth describes how warm, caring, and nice to others you are. If you score low on this index, you tend to be more distant and cold. A high score on this index signifies you are supportive and comforting.
Psychologists Hans and Sybil Eysenck were personality theorists [link] who focused on temperament , the inborn, genetically based personality differences that you studied earlier in the chapter. They believed personality is largely governed by biology. Hans and Sybil Eysenck believed that our personality traits are influenced by our genetic inheritance. According to their theory, people high on the trait of extroversion are sociable and outgoing, and readily connect with others, whereas people high on the trait of introversion have a higher need to be alone, engage in solitary behaviors, and limit their interactions with others.
In contrast, people high on stability tend to need more stimulation to activate their flight-or-fight reaction and are considered more emotionally stable. These quadrants are sometimes compared with the four temperaments described by the Greeks: melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic, and sanguine [link].
Another personality theory, called the Five Factor Model , effectively hits a middle ground, with its five factors referred to as the Big Five personality traits. It is the most popular theory in personality psychology today and the most accurate approximation of the basic trait dimensions Funder, The five traits are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism [link].
In the Five Factor Model, each person has each trait, but they occur along a spectrum. Cardinal traits are the traits around which a person organizes his whole life. Allport suggested that these traits are developed later in life, and are in fact quite rare. Meaning, a person might be specifically known for these traits.
Traits representing major characteristics of a person are referred as central traits. Example of central traits: shy, anxious, intelligent, dishonest. Secondary traits refer to the general behavior patterns that only appear under certain circumstances. An example would be getting nervous to speak in public. Eysenck is the most famous British psychologist.
He considered that there are two major dimensions of personality which account for the many different types of person we encounter. They are:. He proposed a model of personality based on these two universal traits, and the third dimension later added by the psychologist himself. Introversion involves focusing energy on inner experiences, while extroversion refers to focusing energy on environment and people.
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