Unit X:Personality Module 58

Trait Theories

Traits 58-1

The Trait Perspective

Examples of Traits:

Honest

Dependable

Moody

Impulsive

An individual’s characteristic behaviors and conscious motives constitutes his or her

personality.

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Exploring Traits

• Each personality is uniquely made up of multiple traits.

• Allport & Odbert (1936), identified almost 18,000 words representing traits.

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Factor Analysis

Developed by Hans and Sybil Eysenck as a statistical approach to describe and relate personality traits

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Assessing Traits 58-2

Assessing Traits

• Personality inventories are questionnaires designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors, assessing several traits at once.

• The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests.

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Big Five Factors 58-3

The Big Five Factors

Conscientiousness

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

Openness

Extraversion

• Today’s trait researchers believe that earlier trait dimensions, such as Eysencks’ personality dimensions, fail to tell the whole story.

• So, an expanded range (five factors) of traits does a better job of assessment.

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Evaluating Trait Theories 58-4

The Person-Situation Controversy

Walter Mischel (1968, 1984, 2004) points

out that traits may be enduring, but the

resulting behavior in various situations is

different. Therefore, traits are not good

predictors of behavior.

However, trait theorists argue that behaviors from

a situation may be different, but average behavior

remains the same. Therefore, traits matter.

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