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Trait Perspective

Trait Perspective. Trait Perspective. Describe personality in terms of fundamental traits Not trying to explain why these traits exist, only describe them and classify them. Trait Perspective. Trait = a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act

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Trait Perspective

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  1. Trait Perspective

  2. Trait Perspective • Describe personality in terms of fundamental traits • Not trying to explain why these traits exist, only describe them and classify them

  3. Trait Perspective • Trait = a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act • e.g. introvert, outgoing, cheerful, anxious, … • How do we describe and classify traits? • According to “types” • Many different systems have been used

  4. Classifying Traits • Ancient Greeks: according to the four body humors - Melancholic (depressed) - Sanguine (cheerful) - Phlegmatic (unemotional) - Choleric (irritable) • Sheldon’s Body Types: - Mesomorph - Ectomorph - Endomorph

  5. Ancient Greek “Humors”

  6. Sheldon’s Body Types

  7. Classifying traits • Myers-Briggs Types: • Classifies personality according to four dichotomies (opposites) Extrovert Introvert Sensing Intuition Thinking Feeling JudgmentPerception • How do we know which systems is the best?

  8. Classifying Traits • Factor Analysis: statistical procedure to identify clusters of behavior that are related, and reflect a basic trait • e.g. outgoing people tend to say they like excitement and practical jokes, and dislike quiet reading • Trait = extraversion

  9. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire:

  10. Classifying Traits • The Big Five: • Slightly expanded set of factors that is still considered the standard in describing personality • Emotional Stability • Extraversion • Openness • Agreeableness • Conscientiousness

  11. THE BIG FIVE

  12. Classifying Traits • More recent research has revealed: • Characteristics of the Big 5: • More stable in adulthood • 50% hereditary • Cross-Cultural • Can be used to predict behavior

  13. Assessing Traits • Personality Inventories: long questionnaires where people respond (T/F) to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors • Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) • Compared responses to hundred of questions between normal and disordered people • Retained any statements that differed from normal • e.g. “Nothing in the newspaper interests me except the comics”  indicative of depression

  14. Evaluating the Trait Perspective • Person-Situation Controversy: • Remember: Is our behavior influenced by our personal disposition, or situational context? • Do personality traits persist over time and across situations? • Time: Personality trait scores correlated well over time • Children (0.31), Collegians (0.54), 30-Year olds (0.54), Over 70 (0.74) YES • Situation: little correlation between behavior in one situation and the next. NO

  15. Assessing the Trait Perspective • Therefore, scores on personality tests only mildly predict behavior • Example: If one test determines you are an extrovert, it does not predict how you will act in each social situation • But, we can use personality tests to predict the average of our traits. • The best indicator = people who know us well!

  16. Online Personality Test • This test is based on Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers typological approach to personality: • http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm

  17. Lemon Test • Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

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