CHAPTERS 6 AND 7

The Trait Theory

TRAIT APPROACH Based on empirical research, mostly

correlational The ultimate criterion for the

measurement of a personality trait is can it be used to predict behavior?

Therefore, the purpose (theory) of the trait approach is:

Identify trait Predict Behavior

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES There is no zero value for a trait, only a

continuum Example: How sociable are you

compared to someone else? (no one is zero sociable)

Great at measuring how people differ from one another, not so great at assessing commonalities

The trait approach assumes that people are their traits…yet people are unpredictable!

SITUATIONS Situations are powerful in influencing

behavior What is more important for determining

what people do, the person or the situation?

Look at three things:1. Predictability2. Statistical significance of results3. Personality terms in language

SCIENTIFIC USE OF PERSONALITY TESTS

The many-trait approach

The single-trait approach

The essential-trait approach

THE MANY-TRAIT APPROACH

Long lists of traits intended to cover comprehensively the whole domain of personality

Try to find out which of the traits are correlated with behavior…then explain correlates

California Q-set: A list of 100 traits in the form of phrases, ex: “Is critical, skeptical, not easily impressed”

Raters are then asked to put into either a “highly characteristic” pile or a “not characteristic” pile.

Judge Individual(I data) (S data)

ANOTHER EXAMPLE… Sex Differences in Delay of Gratification

Results suggest that there are gender differences as well as gender similarities

Also, many aspects of personality remain fairly consistent even after childhood development

YET MORE EXAMPLES… Drug Abuse – tendencies when young

compared to teenage use Depression – gender difference when

young, depression when young correlates with young adult depression

Political Orientation – Compares ages 3-4 to political orientation at 23 years old

So…what do the conclusions of these experiments mean and why do we care about this conclusion?

THE SINGLE-TRAIT APPROACH Look at the nature, origin and

consequences of single traits Research on three traits that are viewed

as important:

1. Authoritarianism 2. Conscientiousness 3. Self-Monitoring

AUTHORITARIANISM Important because of role in social

problems (ex: Nazism) What do we want to know?

Differences in people who are authoritarians vs. those who are non-authoritarians

Conclusions:1. Not as broad a construct as title implies2. Is an individual difference construct3. An example of how a trait can explain

behavior

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS All occupational groups

No racial or ethnic differences

The “motivation variable”

Questions: Is there a relationship between your score on conscientiousness and your behavior? (Take Conscientiousness Scale in your textbook to find out!)

SELF-MONITORING Studied for a more philosophical reason

Relations between inner and outer selves

High vs. low self-monitors

Question: Again, is this trait a good predictor of behavior?

ESSENTAIL TRAIT APPROACH Funder 100 Murray 20 Cattell 16 Eysenck 3 Block2

Robert McCrae and Paul Costa (1987)

The Big Five:ExtraversionAgreeablenessConscientiousnessNeuroticismOpenness to Experience

TYPOLOGICAL APPROACH Look for basic “types” of people that

characterize the whole range of their personalities

Three basic types:Well-adjustedMaladjusted overcontrolledMaladjusted undercontrolled

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Where does personality come from?

Stable vs. change over the lifespan Individual differences are highly stable

across the lifespanSome traits show big changes over the

lifespan; social dominance, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability

QUESTIONS TO PONDER… What are the most consistent aspects of the

people you know? What are the most inconsistent aspects?

Have you ever been in a situation in which you acted differently than you would normally? Why did this happen?

Ask your parents (or someone in that cohort) what is more important; the person or the situation in determining behavior? Then ask someone from your age group the same question. Are the answers the same or different? Why do you think that is?

MORE QUESTIONS TO PONDER… Which approach do you find the most

helpful in understanding personality? Why?

Have you ever observed a change in someone’s personality? What do you think caused the change?

What about your own personality, is it changing now? Why?