Traits Theories I:Gordon Allport’s Humanistic Traits

theory

“As far as the unconscious was concerned, Freud went down deeper, stayed longer, and came up dirtier than anybody else.”

extract from Allport’s lecture

Dr Niko TiliopoulosRoom 448, Brennan McCallum building

Email: niko.tiliopoulos@sydney.edu.au

Core ideas in Allport’s Core ideas in Allport’s theory Itheory I

-Personality--Personality-

PersonalityPersonality is a dynamic system of is a dynamic system of traitstraits

– Personality:Personality: The dynamic organisation within the The dynamic organisation within the individual of those psychophysiological systems individual of those psychophysiological systems [traits][traits] that that determine her or his characteristic behaviour & thought determine her or his characteristic behaviour & thought (unique adjustments to the environment)(unique adjustments to the environment)

Personality is Personality is greatergreater than the sum of its traitsthan the sum of its traits

– An organised whole that is self-regulating and continually evolvingAn organised whole that is self-regulating and continually evolving

– Personality is Personality is realreal (and not a construct or abstraction) (and not a construct or abstraction)Heuristic realismHeuristic realism

– Personality is rooted in biological, chemical, mental etc. processesPersonality is rooted in biological, chemical, mental etc. processes

Core ideas in Allport’s theory Core ideas in Allport’s theory IIII

-The Focus--The Focus-

Emphasis on the Emphasis on the uniquenessuniqueness of the person and the of the person and the importance of importance of individualityindividuality

– NomotheticNomothetic approaches to personality approaches to personality

Attempt to establish universal (or group) laws (principles) of human Attempt to establish universal (or group) laws (principles) of human functioning, and understand the general variables that underlie personalityfunctioning, and understand the general variables that underlie personality

– Academic personology tends to be nomothetic in natureAcademic personology tends to be nomothetic in nature

– IdiographicIdiographic approaches to personality approaches to personality

Attempt to identify the unique combination of traits that can best describe Attempt to identify the unique combination of traits that can best describe specific individualsspecific individuals

– Clinical, occupational, educational personology tend to be idiographicClinical, occupational, educational personology tend to be idiographic

Core ideas in Allport’s theory Core ideas in Allport’s theory IIIIII

-Traits--Traits-

Neuropsychic structures that dispose a person toward Neuropsychic structures that dispose a person toward specific kinds of actionsspecific kinds of actions

– Traits are rooted in nervous system functioningTraits are rooted in nervous system functioning

– Traits are established through a combination of innate physical Traits are established through a combination of innate physical attributes and acquired environmental habitsattributes and acquired environmental habits

– Traits render diverse stimuli Traits render diverse stimuli functionally equivalentfunctionally equivalentThey are the basis of personal consistency over situationsThey are the basis of personal consistency over situations

They are indicators of a person’s characteristic behaviour and thought in They are indicators of a person’s characteristic behaviour and thought in diverse circumstancesdiverse circumstances

Core ideas in Allport’s theory Core ideas in Allport’s theory IIIaIIIa

-Types of Traits--Types of Traits- (Allport identified over (Allport identified over 45004500 traits!) traits!)

– CardinalCardinalPervasive, outstanding, and dominating traits (see Pervasive, outstanding, and dominating traits (see meta-traitsmeta-traits))

– Not all individuals posses themNot all individuals posses them

– CentralCentralThe (super-) traits that can best describe an individualThe (super-) traits that can best describe an individual

– E.g. dutiful, responsible, friendlyE.g. dutiful, responsible, friendly

– SecondarySecondaryTraits that are peripheral to an individual’s personalityTraits that are peripheral to an individual’s personality

– E.g. musical taste, food preferencesE.g. musical taste, food preferences

NB!NB! Any kind of trait can fall into any of the above categories, depending Any kind of trait can fall into any of the above categories, depending on its importance in an individual’s personality makeup on its importance in an individual’s personality makeup (remember he follows the (remember he follows the idiographic approach)idiographic approach)

Common traitsCommon traits (generalised dispositions; shared traits) (generalised dispositions; shared traits)

Individual traitsIndividual traits (personal styles; personal dispositions) (personal styles; personal dispositions)– Universal normsUniversal norms (we are one) (we are one)– Group normsGroup norms (some of us are one) (some of us are one)– Idiosyncratic normsIdiosyncratic norms (but we are (but we are notnot the same; we are unique!) the same; we are unique!)

Core ideas in Allport’s Core ideas in Allport’s theory IVtheory IV

-The Self--The Self-

Personal experience of the self and sense of purpose are the Personal experience of the self and sense of purpose are the unifying aspects of personalityunifying aspects of personality

Humans are normally rational, creative, active, and self-reliant Humans are normally rational, creative, active, and self-reliant (a positive conceptualisation of human nature)(a positive conceptualisation of human nature)

Proprium:Proprium: The Allportian The Allportian self self ((egoego))

– The bodily self:The bodily self: Physical sense & bodily reactions Physical sense & bodily reactions– Self-Identity:Self-Identity: Self-continuity, regularity, solidity, and sameness of existenceSelf-continuity, regularity, solidity, and sameness of existence

– Self-esteem:Self-esteem: Sense of competence and worthiness Sense of competence and worthiness– Extended-self:Extended-self: Abstract concepts of possession (what belongs to me) Abstract concepts of possession (what belongs to me)– Self-image:Self-image: One’s own appraisal of one’s virtues & weaknesses One’s own appraisal of one’s virtues & weaknesses– Self-as-a-rational-coper:Self-as-a-rational-coper: Rationality, efficiency, & knowledge Rationality, efficiency, & knowledge– Self-as-proprietor (knower):Self-as-proprietor (knower): Awareness of being and existing Awareness of being and existing

Core ideas in Allport’s theory Core ideas in Allport’s theory IVaIVa

The proprium and the stages of developmentThe proprium and the stages of development

Core ideas in Allport’s theory Core ideas in Allport’s theory VV

-Motives--Motives-

Adult motives are not (necessarily) the result of fixations, infantile Adult motives are not (necessarily) the result of fixations, infantile motivation, or unconscious needsmotivation, or unconscious needs

– ““Some people Some people dodo grow up grow up sometimessometimes, in , in somesome respect be adult and normal in respect be adult and normal in personality function”personality function” (Allport, 1962) (Allport, 1962)

Functional Autonomy Functional Autonomy (of motives)(of motives)

– Any acquired system of motivation in which the tensions involved are not of the same Any acquired system of motivation in which the tensions involved are not of the same kind as the antecedent tensions from which the acquired system developedkind as the antecedent tensions from which the acquired system developed

Emphasis on the individual’s present state, current situation, and feelingsEmphasis on the individual’s present state, current situation, and feelings

– Perseverative functional autonomyPerseverative functional autonomySelf-repeating motives that depend on feedback mechanisms or biochemical Self-repeating motives that depend on feedback mechanisms or biochemical processesprocesses

– E.g. smokingE.g. smoking

– Propriate functional autonomyPropriate functional autonomyMotives that develop as direct expressions of an individual’s self-wishes or desired goalsMotives that develop as direct expressions of an individual’s self-wishes or desired goals

– E.g. learning a musical instrument or studyingE.g. learning a musical instrument or studying

Evaluating Allport’s theoryEvaluating Allport’s theoryThe negativesThe negatives

Largely neglected the effects of the Largely neglected the effects of the situation or environment on situation or environment on personality development and personality development and expressionsexpressions

Never really developed a Never really developed a standardised measurement to standardised measurement to assess the identified personality assess the identified personality components (collectively)components (collectively)

Actively ignored psychopathologyActively ignored psychopathology

(Initially) played down the importance (Initially) played down the importance of common traits (i.e. the nomothetic of common traits (i.e. the nomothetic approach)approach)

The identified traits (4508!) are The identified traits (4508!) are impracticalimpractical

The positivesThe positives

Founder of the academic field of Founder of the academic field of personality (removed it from personality (removed it from psychopathology)psychopathology)

Proposed the Traits approachProposed the Traits approach

Proposed the distinction between the Proposed the distinction between the idiographic and nomothetic focusidiographic and nomothetic focus

Viewed humans as active agents Viewed humans as active agents against the Freudian determinism against the Freudian determinism and the behavioural reductionismand the behavioural reductionism

Inspired Maslow and the humanistic / Inspired Maslow and the humanistic / existential approach to personalityexistential approach to personality

Pioneered the study of the Pioneered the study of the psychology of religion!psychology of religion!

Main ReadingMain ReadingMurphy, K. et al. (2010). Murphy, K. et al. (2010). PSYC2014: Personality & PSYC2014: Personality & Intelligence I Intelligence I (3(3rdrd ed.). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Australia ed.). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Australia (Section 2, Chapter 7 “Allport: Personological trait (Section 2, Chapter 7 “Allport: Personological trait theory”, pp. 257-285)theory”, pp. 257-285)

Optional:Optional:

Allport, F.H., & Allport, G.W. (1921). Personality traits: Their classification and Allport, F.H., & Allport, G.W. (1921). Personality traits: Their classification and measurement. measurement. Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology, 16Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology, 16, 6-40., 6-40.Allport, G.W. (1966). Traits revisited. Allport, G.W. (1966). Traits revisited. American Psychologist, 21American Psychologist, 21, 1-10., 1-10.Allport, G.W. (1967). Autobiography. In E. G. Boring & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Allport, G.W. (1967). Autobiography. In E. G. Boring & G. Lindzey (Eds.), A history of A history of psychology in autobiographypsychology in autobiography (Vol. 5, pp. 3-25). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. (Vol. 5, pp. 3-25). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Why should we care about Gordon Allport?Why should we care about Gordon Allport? http://www.stolaf.edu/people/huff/misc/Allporttalk.htmlhttp://www.stolaf.edu/people/huff/misc/Allporttalk.html