Traditional Trait Theories
Allport, Eysenck, & Cattell
Structure: the trait
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Defined: consistent patterns in emotions, behavior, & thought
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3 functions of traits:
1. Summarize
2. Predict
3. Explain
Traits: Basic Views
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Traits are useful as characteristic descriptions
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There is a direct correspondence between trait behavior and internal characteristics
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Personality can be organized into a hierarchy
Gordon W. Allport
(1897-1967)
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Highlighted healthy & organized aspects of human behavior
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Criticized psychoanlaysis
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Opportunistic functioning
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Propriate functioning
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Self= proprium
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Believed traits basic units of personality
Allport: Traits
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Exist in nervous system & are seen as generalized dispositions:
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Regular across situation & time (although can be modified by situational influences, this is a general trait)
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Trait explains behavior consistency
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Importance of situation explains behavior variance
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Traits defined by 3 properties:
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Frequency
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Intensity
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Range of situations
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Traits stable & internal vs. States (attitude/feeling) & Activities (behavior) temporary & externally driven
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Different kinds of traits? Yes :
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(a) Central traits
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(b) Secondary dispositions
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(c) Cardinal traits
Allport: Functional Autonomy (FA)
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FA: Your motives today are independent of their origins
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Preservative FA: the process in which external motivations change to become habits or internal motivation
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For example: Children & Adults
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Children: motivated by tension-reduction
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Adults: motivated by intrinsic enjoyment
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Behaviors may be necessary (reduce tension), but eventually become a source of enjoyment
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Propriate FA: values
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Contrast to Freud
Allport: Idiographic Research
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Emphasized uniqueness of individual
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Used idiographic research
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Published letters
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Comparing categories of values within individual instead of across groups
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EX: values having a family more than having a career?
Allport: Critique
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Significant contributions
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Did little research to establish existence of traits
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Believed traits were hereditary, but did nothing to prove this
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Idiographic research: captures individual, but didn’t create general, lawful psychological principles
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Only trait theorist to pursue idiographic research
Hans J. Eysenck
(1916-1997)
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Trait measurement: factor analysis
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Emphasized biological foundations of traits
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Realized futility of “circular theory”
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Emphasized need for strict regulations and definitions in research
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Criticized Freud
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Factor analysis to identify factors
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Secondary factor analysis
Basic Dimensions of Personality
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Extraversion/Introversion
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Anxious, Depressed, irrational, guilt feelings, shy, moods, low self-esteem, emotional, tense
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Aggressive, antisocial, cold, unempathic, egocentric, creative, impersonal, tough-minded, impulsive
Questionnaires (Eysenck)
Eysenck: Biological Bases
Eysenck: psychopathology
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Joint action of biological system and experiences that contribute to learning of strong emotion reactions
Raymond B. Cattell (1905-1998)
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Published many books and articles throughout career
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One of the most influential psychological scientists of the 20th century
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Much of work was an attempt to develop a classification of variables for research
Cattell: Personality Science
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Few variables manipulated
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Many variables taken from life and studied
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***Cattell preferred to work with a large # of factors at the trait level
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*** Eysenck preferred secondary factor analysis to combine traits into smaller # of uncorrleated superfactors
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Uncorrelated, but covers broad range of behaviors
Cattell: Theory of Personality
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Distinctions between traits:
Group A
Ability traits allow individual to function effectively
Temperament traits emotional life & stylistic quality of behavior
Dynamic traits motivational life; goals
Group B (these look at the level of which we relate behaviors)
Surface traits appear to vary together, but may not; may not even have a common source
Source traits vary together regardless of personality dimensions
Cattell’s 16 PF
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Reserved Outgoing
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Less intelligent More intelligent
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Stable neurotic
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Humble Assertive
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Sober Happy-go-lucky
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Expedient Conscientious
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Trusting Suspicious
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Forthright Shrewd
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Placid Apprehensive
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Relaxed Tense
Stability & Variability In Behavior
Cattell: Critique
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Large range of scientific effort
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Developed new multivariate techniques
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Founded the Society for Multivariate Experimental Research (SMEP)
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Attempted cross-cultural research
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Validity of his tests is questionable
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Relied too heavily on factor analysis & speculation combined
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At times overstated his data
What are the Big Five?
(McRae and Costa, 1997, version)
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NEO-PI measures these and we’ll use this measure to operationalize them
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Neuroticism
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Extraversion
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Openness to Experience
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Agreeableness
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Conscientiousness
Neuroticism
Neuroticism/
Emotional Stability
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High in emotional stability means low in neuroticism
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More E.S., more calm, stable, & confident
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Versus: nervous, insecure, & depressed
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More E.S., more extrinsic career success (higher income & occupational status)
Extraversion
Extroversion
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The extent to which one is:
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Sociable, talkative, and outgoing
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Those low in extroversion are called introverts
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Sales jobs, managerial jobs
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More extrinsic career success ($ & occupational status)
Openness to Experience
Openness
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the extent to which a person
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thinks flexibly and is receptive to new ideas.
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is open to new experience
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is imaginative and curious
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Implications for/receptivity to
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organizational change
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creativity
Agreeableness
Agreeableness
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The extent to which one is:
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Cooperative, tends to get along well with others
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Low: tend to be rude, cold, & aloof
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness
Extent to which a person is:
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Careful, dependable, & responsible
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More reliable
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Perform better in all types of jobs
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Higher incomes and occupational status (more extrinsic career success)
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