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The Trait Perspective Chapter 13, Lecture 4

The Trait Perspective Chapter 13, Lecture 4. “ Allport came to define personality in terms of identifiable behavior patterns. He was concerned less with explaining individual traits than with describing them.” - David Myers. The Trait Perspective.

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The Trait Perspective Chapter 13, Lecture 4

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  1. The Trait PerspectiveChapter 13, Lecture 4 “Allport came to define personality in terms of identifiable behavior patterns. He was concerned less with explaining individual traits than with describing them.” - David Myers

  2. The Trait Perspective An individual’s unique constellation of durable dispositions and consistent ways of behaving (traits) constitutes his or her personality.

  3. Exploring Traits Each personality is uniquely made up of multiple traits. Allport & Odbert (1936), identified almost 18,000 words representing traits. One way to condense the immense list of personality traits is through factor analysis, a statistical approach used to describe and relate personality traits.

  4. Factor Analysis Hans and Sybil Eysenck suggested that personality could be reduced down to two polar dimensions,extraversion-introversionand emotional stability-instability.

  5. Biology and Personality • Personality dimensions are influenced by genes. • Brain-imaging procedures show that extraverts seek stimulation because their normal brain arousal is relatively low. • Genes also influence our temperament and behavioral style. Differences in children’s shyness and inhibition may be attributed to autonomic nervous system reactivity.

  6. Assessing Traits Personality inventoriesare questionnaires (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors assessing several traits at once.

  7. MMPI TheMinnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)is the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. It was originally developed to identify emotional disorders. The MMPI was empirically derived by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminated between diagnostic groups.

  8. MMPI Test Profile

  9. The Big Five Factors 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.

  10. Endpoints – p.571

  11. Questions about the Big Five Quite stable in adulthood. However, they change over development. 1. How stable are these traits? Fifty percent or so for each trait. 2. How heritable are they? These traits are common across cultures. 3. How about other cultures?

  12. Evaluating the Trait Perspective 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.

  13. The Person-Situation Controversy Trait theorists argue that behaviors from a situation may be different, but average behavior remains the same. Therefore, traits matter.

  14. The Person-Situation Controversy Traits are socially significant and influence our health, thinking, and performance (Gosling et al., 2000). John Langford Photography Samuel Gosling

  15. Consistency of Expressive Style Expressive styles in speaking and gestures demonstrate trait consistency. Observers are able to judge people’s behavior and feelings in as little as 30 seconds and in one particular case as little as 2 seconds.

  16. Homework Read p.576-584 “So most people – including most psychologists – would probably side with Tolkein’s assumption of stability of personality traits.” “Although our personality traits may be both stable and potent, the consistency of our specific behaviors from one situation to the next is another matter.” - David Myers

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