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The Trait Perspective on Personality From Freud, psychoanalysis and the un-measurable unconscious to rock solid traits and characteristics

The Trait Perspective on Personality

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The Trait Perspective on Personality. From Freud, psychoanalysis and the un-measurable unconscious to rock solid traits and characteristics. The Trait Perspective. People have tried to classify and label people’s personalities for thousands of years It all started with the Ancient Greeks - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: The Trait Perspective on Personality

The Trait Perspective on Personality

From Freud, psychoanalysis and the un-measurable unconscious to rock solid

traits and characteristics

Page 2: The Trait Perspective on Personality

The Trait PerspectiveThe Trait Perspective People have tried to classify and label People have tried to classify and label

people’s personalities for thousands of yearspeople’s personalities for thousands of years

It all started with the Ancient GreeksIt all started with the Ancient Greeks Labeled people and personality in terms of Labeled people and personality in terms of

humorshumors or the type of body fluid flowing in a or the type of body fluid flowing in a personperson

4 types4 types Blood – Sanguine – cheerful and passionateBlood – Sanguine – cheerful and passionate Black Bile – Melancholic – unhappy and depressedBlack Bile – Melancholic – unhappy and depressed Yellow Bile – Choleric – angry and hot-tempered Yellow Bile – Choleric – angry and hot-tempered Phlegm – Phlegmatic – dull and unemotionalPhlegm – Phlegmatic – dull and unemotional

Page 3: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Identifying TraitsIdentifying Traits

Eventually people moved on from “humor” to body type Eventually people moved on from “humor” to body type as a measurement of personalityas a measurement of personality

However, most psychologists realized that this was an However, most psychologists realized that this was an oversimplified way of looking at personality oversimplified way of looking at personality

So they went about finding new ways to define So they went about finding new ways to define personalitypersonality

Page 4: The Trait Perspective on Personality

TraitA relatively stable set of characteristics that

influences your thoughts, feelings, and behavior

Believed to be found in your Genes and DNA

Trait vs. States

What is the Difference??

trait = stable and consistent over time

state = a temporary emotional condition dependent on situation and motive

May have trait of calmness but be in a state of anxiety

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE!!

Page 5: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Objective TestsObjective Tests– a questionnaire where people respond

to different items attempting to measure aspects (traits) of their personality•Yes-no, true-false, agree-disagree•Also called Personality InventoriesPersonality Inventories

How do we measure or find out our personality

traits?

Page 6: The Trait Perspective on Personality

MMPI

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory:

•the most widely used personality inventory test.

•567 questions•Originally used to identify emotional/mental disorders.

Now used for screening purposes.

Page 7: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Advantages and Disadvantages of Objective

Tests• Get standard answers to standardized

questions • However, contain transparent questions

– Often will include lie detectors

• Social desirability biasSocial desirability bias – people might state what they wish were true

rather than what IS true

• BAD !!! – Objective Tests don’t tell us BAD !!! – Objective Tests don’t tell us WHYWHY we behave the way we do – they we behave the way we do – they just tell us just tell us HOWHOW we behave we behave

Page 8: The Trait Perspective on Personality

The Theories The Theories Behind the Behind the

TestsTests

Page 9: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Gordon Allport’s Trait TheoryGordon Allport’s Trait Theory Believed traits were Believed traits were inheritedinherited but influenced by but influenced by

experienceexperience Believed some traits were more important than othersBelieved some traits were more important than others

Central Traits or Source TraitsCentral Traits or Source Traits Easily recognized and have a strong influence on Easily recognized and have a strong influence on

personalitypersonality example – competitiveness, generosity, independenceexample – competitiveness, generosity, independence

Secondary Traits or Surface TraitsSecondary Traits or Surface Traits More specific to certain situations and have less effect on More specific to certain situations and have less effect on

personalitypersonality traits like personal styles and preferences (particular traits like personal styles and preferences (particular

styles of clothing or types of music that affect styles of clothing or types of music that affect behavior in fewer situations)behavior in fewer situations)

Allport believed in total there were around Allport believed in total there were around 16,000 different types of traits16,000 different types of traits

Page 10: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Raymond Cattell’s Sixteen Raymond Cattell’s Sixteen TraitsTraits

Believed that Allport went to far with his traitsBelieved that Allport went to far with his traits

Identified only 16 fundamental traits that Identified only 16 fundamental traits that all people possesall people posses

Each trait is represented on a continuum (scale) Each trait is represented on a continuum (scale) and they are found in every person to some and they are found in every person to some degree on the continuumdegree on the continuum

To measure these traits Cattell used a test To measure these traits Cattell used a test called the Sixteen Personality Factor called the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (Questionnaire (16 PF16 PF for short) for short)

However, many psychologists still thoughtHowever, many psychologists still thought

this was still too many traitsthis was still too many traits

16 personality factors16 personality factors

Page 11: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Hans Eysenck: A simpler Trait Hans Eysenck: A simpler Trait ModelModel

3 major traits3 major traits Introversion – ExtraversionIntroversion – Extraversion

– Are people outward or inward focused?Are people outward or inward focused? NeuroticismNeuroticism

– Emotional instability or stabilityEmotional instability or stability PsychoticismPsychoticism

– Cold and hostile, or warm and concerned with Cold and hostile, or warm and concerned with othersothers

The combination of these produced 4 basic The combination of these produced 4 basic personality typespersonality types

Page 12: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Intro

verte

d-Neu

rotic

Extraverted-Neurotic

Introverted-StableExt

rave

rted-

Stable

Page 13: The Trait Perspective on Personality

The Big Five - Five-Factor Model (FFM)

Openness (to experience)• imaginative, curious, intellectual, open to nontraditional values vs.

conforming, practical, conventional • Sample Openness items

•I am full of ideas. - I am quick to understand things. - I have a rich vocabulary. I have a vivid imagination. – I prefer practical ideas (reversed) - I do not have a good imagination. (reversed) - I have difficulty understanding abstract ideas. (reversed)

16 to many - - 3 to few

Conscientiousness • organized reliable, hardworking • Sample Conscientiousness items

•I am always prepared. - I am exacting in my work. - I follow a schedule. - I get chores done right away. - I like order. - I leave my belongings around. (reversed) - I make a mess of things. (reversed) - I often forget to put things back in their proper place. (reversed)

Page 14: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Agreeableness • Forgiving, generous, trusting

• Sample Agreeableness items– I am interested in people. - I feel others’ emotions. -

I have a soft heart. - I am not really interested in others. (reversed) - I feel little concern for others. (reversed) - I insult people. (reversed)

Extraversion •Active, energetic, affectionate• Sample Extraversion items

•I am the life of the party. - I don't mind being the center of attention. - I feel comfortable around people. - I start conversations. - I am quiet around strangers. (reversed) - I don't like to draw attention to myself. (reversed) - I don't talk a lot. (reversed) - I have little to say. (reversed)

Page 15: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Neuroticism • (our level of emotional

instability/stability) anxious, tense, vulnerable

• Sample Neuroticism items– I am easily disturbed. - I change my mood a

lot. - I get irritated easily. - I get stressed out easily. - I am relaxed most of the time. (reversed) - I seldom feel blue. (reversed)

Remember by = OCEANRemember by = OCEAN

Page 16: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Personality by Birth Order

• Modern theories– Myers-Briggs

Page 17: The Trait Perspective on Personality

Personality Tests• http://theinkblot.com/index.htm • online inkblot test – fun to take but don’t make

much of the results• http://www.personalitypathways.com/

type_inventory.html • get a myers-briggs personality type – good test

with good summaries• http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/

JTypes2.asp • Jung personality profile – great, in-depth test• http://similarminds.com/cattell-16-factor.html • Cattell’s 16 Factor Test• http://www.matthewbarr.co.uk/simpsons/ • - find out what Simpson you most resemble