Personality Theories: Trait/Dispositional Perspectives

1
Personality TheoriesTrait/Dispositional
Perspectives
2
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 persons
  conduct

3
Basic Assumptions

• Traits present specific ideas about a persons
  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

4
Theorists

• Gordon Allport (1897-1967)
• Raymond B. Cattell (1905-1998)
• Hans J. Eysenck (1916-1997)

5
Gordon Allport
6
Allports 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

7
Allports Theory (cont)

• Cardinal Traits
• A trait so dominant a persons entire life
  revolves around it.
• Most people do not have one.

• Central Traits
• Qualities that characterize a persons 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

8
Allports Theory (cont)

• 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

9
Raymond B. Cattell
10
Cattells Trait Theory

• Three sources of data are required to uncover all
  the major dimensions of personality
• L-data
• Gathered from ones 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.

11
Cattells Theory (cont)

• 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, self- sufficiency-group
  adherence, self-disciplined-uncontrolled will,
  and tense- relaxed.

12
Hans J. Eysenck
13
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-stabilit
  y.
• 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-Stabili
  ty (N), Psychoticism-Superego Function (P)

14

• 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
  stability-instability.
• Neuroticism-stability refers to a person's
  tendency to become emotionally upset. Eysenck
  believed that these two traits were heavily
  influenced by biology.

15
Five Factor Model

• Many theorists agree there are five broad
  categories of traits
• Extraversion-introversion
• Agreeableness-antagonism
• Conscientiousness-undirectedness
• Neuroticism-stability
• Openness to experience

16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Belief Regarding Basic Nature

• Resulting from a biological basis
  neuro-psychological functioning within the
  environment.
• Eysencks 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.

19
Methods in Assessing Personality

• Interviews
• Projection Tests
• Situational Tests
• Self Reports
• Reputational Reports

20
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

21
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

22
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.