18 Traits Theories I: Gordon Allport's Humanistic Traits Theory

Question 1

Birth/death dates of Gordon Allport?

Answer 1

1897-1967

Question 2

How did Allport define personality (parsimoniously)?

Answer 2

Personality is what a human really is.

Question 3

What is Allport’s full definition of personality?

Answer 3

Personality is the dynamic organisation within the individual of those psychophysical systems (traits) that determine her or his characteristic behaviour and thought (or, unique adjustments to the environment).

Question 4

What is Allport’s heuristic realism?

Answer 4

The assumption that traits (or other constructs) are real and can be studied empirically.

Question 5

Is personality a linear system?

Answer 5

No, it’s greater than the sum of its traits, which interact with each other. Eg. charm and extraversion.

Question 6

How many toes was Allport born with?

Answer 6

8

Question 7

What is the nomothetic approach to personality?

Answer 7

The nomothetic approach attempts to establish universal (or group) laws (or principles) of human functioning, and understand the general variables that underlie personality. Eg. IQ test - score depends where you fall on distribution relative to others

Question 8

What is the idiographic approach to personality?

Answer 8

The idiographic approach attempts to identify the unique combination of traits that can best describe specific individuals. Eg. clinical psychology.

Question 9

How does Allport define traits?

Answer 9

A trait is a neuropsychic structure that can: - render many stimuli functionally equivalent, - initiate and guide equivalent (meaningfully consistent) forms of adaptive and expressive behaviour

Question 10

What causes formation of traits?

Answer 10

Biology and acquired environmental habits

Question 11

What’s the difference between traits and temperament?

Answer 11

Temperament is more closely linked to biological determinants [this distinction hazy]

Question 12

What’s the difference between traits and habits?

Answer 12

Habits are simple S-R relationships (e.g. brushing teeth). A trait arises through the integration of numerous specific habits that have the same general adaptive significance to the person. (e.g. Cleanliness)

Question 13

What’s the difference between traits attitudes?

Answer 13

An attitude has one object of reference (e.g. not believing climate change) whereas a trait has many (e.g. skepticism).

Question 14

How could the trait of friendliness render diverse stimuli functionally equivalent?

Answer 14

When meeting a stranger, dating a girlfriend, visiting family, individual is always outgoing, pleasant, warm, interested etc. These diverse stimuli are rendered functionally equivalent (in their effect on behaviour) by the trait of friendliness.

Question 15

How many traits did Allport identify?

Answer 15

4,508. So impractical - one really long psychometric session.

Question 16

What three category of traits were indentified by Allport?

Answer 16

Cardinal Central Secondary

Question 17

What are cardinal traits?

Answer 17

Pervasive, outstanding and dominant traits. Eg. Mother Teresa - altruism. Not everyone has these.

Question 18

What are central traits?

Answer 18

The traits that best describe an individual. E.g. dutiful, responsible, friendly

Question 19

What are peripheral traits?

Answer 19

Traits that are peripheral to personality - e.g., musical taste, food preference.

Question 20

Can narcissism be classified as a cardinal trait?

Answer 20

Sure, any kind of trait can fall into any one of the three categories (cardinal, central, peripheral) depending on its importance in an individual’s personality.

Question 21

How might a trait such as friendliness vary?

Answer 21

In how generalised it is – i.e. how many situations it can make equivalent.

Question 22

What are the two types of common traits?

Answer 22

• Universal norms (we are one) - Group norms (some of us are one)

Question 23

What are the unifying aspects of personality, selon Allport?

Answer 23

Personal experience of the self Sense of purpose

Question 24

How did Allport’s view of humanity differ from that of Freud?

Answer 24

Allport thought humans are normally creative, active and self-reliant.

Question 25

What is Allport’s name for the self?

Answer 25

The proprium.

Question 26

What are the aspects of the proprium, in order of increasing abstraction?

Answer 26

Bodily self: physical sense & bodily reactions Self-identity: self-continuity and sameness of existence Self-esteem: sense of competence and worthiness Extended self: Abstract concepts of possession Self-image: appraisal of one’s virtues/weaknesses Self as a rational coper: rationality, efficiency and knowledge Self as proprietor (knower): awareness of being and existing

Question 27

How do the aspects of the proprium develop over the lifespan?

Answer 27

Question 28

How did Allport differ from Freud in his view of how the past influences behaviour?

Answer 28

Allport believed behaviour was not necessarily result of fixations, infantile motivation or unconscious needs. Conscious planning and intention were also important. “Some people do grow up sometimes, in some respect be adult and normal in personality function.”

Question 29

What is Allport’s idea of functional autonomy?

Answer 29

Functional autonomy regards adult motives as self-sustaining contemporary systems, growing out of antecedent systems, but functionally independent of them.

Question 30

How can the causes of the same behaviour change over time?

Answer 30

A given behaviour may become an end in itself, despite the fact it was engaged in for some other reason. E.g. play tennis to lose weight, end up liking tennis.

Question 31

What are the two types of functional autonomy?

Answer 31

Perseverative functional autonomy - self-repeating motives that depend on feedback mechanisms or biochemical processes. E.g. addictions, routines, smoking Propriate functional autonomy - motives that develop as direct expressions of an individual’s self-wishes or desired goals. E.g. interests, values, personal dispositions, learning a musical instrument or studying

Question 32

What did Allport think of psychopathology?

Answer 32

Wasn’t interested. Finding out about humans is not best achieved through studying the most dysfunctional of them.

Question 33

Who removed personality from the academic field of psychopathology?

Answer 33

Your mum.

Question 34

Was Allport a determinist?

Answer 34

No, he believed humans were active agents – contrary to Freudian, and behavioural, determinism

Question 35

What are the positives and negatives of Allport’s theories?

Answer 35