Chapter 9 Traits and Trait Taxonomies Personality Psychology

Chapter 9Chapter 9

Traits and Trait TaxonomiesTraits and Trait Taxonomies

Personality PsychologyPersonality Psychology

Dispositional PerspectiveDispositional Perspective

People display continuity or consistency across their own actions, thoughts, and feelings

People differ from one another in many profound ways

Major theory under this perspective

Type and Trait Theory

ClassificationClassification

Characteristic of most sciences in their attempt to find order

One of most basic approaches to understanding personality

Common sense approach

To discover order about personality

Type and Trait Theory DefinedType and Trait Theory Defined

A dispositional theory that explains personality as a set of stable characteristics within individuals

People exhibit these characteristics across various situations and across time

Specific DefinitionsSpecific Definitions

Types

Original definition: Discontinuous categories

Current definition: Large, continuous categories encompassing traits

Traits

Continuous categories

Key ComponentsKey Components

Types and traits both exist in a hierarchical order

Types and traits are governed by a variety of potential processes

Factor analysis often used to determine hierarchies

Traits can be distilled into a few general categories; “Big 5” Model one of most popular

Key PeopleKey People

Allport

Cattell

Eysenck

Trait theory…Trait theory…

… is a way to describe/predict but it is NOT a theory of development

How do you discover traits?How do you discover traits?Step 1: Choose your methodStep 1: Choose your method

Lexical Approach: Collecting words and synonyms of traits

Statistical (Empirical) Approach: Use factor analysis

Theoretical Approach: Borrowing theories, especially from ancient scholars, and determining traits from these theories

Step 2: Distill using Step 2: Distill using Factor AnalysisFactor Analysis

• Statistical procedure to identify items that group together and reflect a larger factor

• Problems

• Selection of traits

• Labeling of factors

• Number of factors

Gordon AllportGordon Allport

“Father” of trait theory

Founded upon personal experience

Took a lexical approach to developing trait theory

Allport’s view of trait theoryAllport’s view of trait theory

• There is value in surface characteristics – there is more to a person than what is at the “unconscious” level

• It is not necessary always to emphasize one’s past

• To discover what someone is like – Ask them about themselves! They are the best source of information

• Traits are both inherited and learned

Allport’s view of trait theoryAllport’s view of trait theory

Common Traits

Traits that are defined the same way for all people

Personal Traits

Unique manifestation of traits

Types of Personal TraitsTypes of Personal Traits Cardinal disposition

One single trait that defines everything everything for a person

Central disposition

5 –10 highly characteristic and frequently seen personal traits

Secondary disposition

Influential traits that are less consistent and generalized than cardinal or central traits

Raymond CattellRaymond Cattell

Empirical approach to trait theory

Factor analysis reduction of 4,500 trait words (left by Allport) to 16 most basic primary personality dimensions

Not as concerned with whether traits were inherited or learned

Cattell’s 16 personality dimensionsCattell’s 16 personality dimensions Reserved vs. Warm Concrete Abstract Reactive Emotionally stable Deferential Dominant Serious Lively Expedient Rule-conscientious Shy Bold Utilitarian Sensitive Trusting Vigilant Practical Imaginative Forthright Private Self-assured Apprehensive Traditional Open to change Group-oriented Self-reliant Tolerates disorder Perfectionistic Relaxed Tense

Source versus Surface traitsSource versus Surface traits

Source trait

Causal factor trait that determines how a person responds

Surface trait

Manifestation of a source trait

Three types of traitsThree types of traits

Ability traits

Temperament traits

Dynamic traits

Ability traitsAbility traits

Define various types of intelligence and determine how effectively a person works toward a desired goal

Fluid intelligence (innate ability to learn)

Crystallized intelligence (the effects of education; what has been learned)

Temperament traitsTemperament traits

Inherited source traits that determine the general style of interaction

Dynamic traitsDynamic traits

Motivational traits

Ergs (innate motivation traits)

Meta-ergs (learned, environmental origin)

Hans EysenckHans Eysenck

Theoretical approach to trait theory

Took theories of Hippocrates, Jung, et. al., and conceived of a basic 2x2 matrix of super traits

Believed traits were genetically-based” was very biologically oriented

Two dimensions (“Supertraits”)Two dimensions (“Supertraits”)

Introversion/extraversion: Tendencies toward sociability, craving for excitement, liveliness, dominance, activeness

Emotionality/stability: Ease and frequency with which a person becomes upset and distressed, with greater moodiness, anxiety, and depression reflecting greater emotional instability

Eysenck’s Two DimensionsEysenck’s Two Dimensions

Emotionally Stable Emotionally Unstable

|

Introvert | Phlegmatic (calm): Melancholic (depressed)

| passive, careful, controlled quiet, submissive, anxious,

| reserved

Extravert | Sanguine (optimistic) Choleric (irritable)

| sociable, outgoing, active, impulsive,

| lively, carefree excitable, aggressive

Trait issuesTrait issues How many categories?

Does the approach used to develop trait theory (empirical, theoretical, lexical) make a difference in outcome?

Did all trait theorists follow the same assumptions presented for dispositional theory? What is the paradigm?

Where did trait theory go after Where did trait theory go after Cattell and Eysenck?Cattell and Eysenck?

Following Cattell, trait data collected in new, more comprehensive, and multivariate ways Further factor analysis Cattell’s data replicated with new, diverse samples,

multiple cultures, different languages, children, and over time

“lay-person” trait terms included More observations and nonverbal assessments

Findings showed 5 factors!

The “Big 5”The “Big 5”

Extraversion (Power)

Aggreeableness (Love)

Conscientiousness (Work)

Emotionality (Affect)

Openness to Experience (Intellect)

The Fifth Factor?The Fifth Factor?

Given different names by different researchers

Cross-cultural differences

Reactions to “Big 5”Reactions to “Big 5”

Support Eysenck and his camp More robust and replicable than any other taxonomy Is a well-established basis on which to build Research for additional factors is not compelling and the

factors are not relevant to personality (attractiveness) Is a framework for phenotypic attributes of personality

based in human language

Opposition There may be more factors (sexiness, attractiveness,

faithfulness, spirituality) Does not capture underlying personality processes