Trait Approach Flashcards
What is trait approach?
Theory that identifies characteristics that can be represented on a continuum and maintains that any person can be placed along that continuum
What is a trait?
They categorize people according to the degree to which they manifest particular characertistics
What assumptions are made within the trait approach?
It assumes that personality characteristics are stable over time and across situations
What does Trait Approach predict?
It doesnt predict behaviors on specific events; rather, it predicts how people behave typically according to their placement on the continuum
What did Allport and Freud disagree on?
Allport believed that some behaviors have obvious conscious motivations and that Freud overestimates the importance of childhood events on current behavior
What limitation did Allport acknowledge?
That behaviors are also influenced by a variety of environmental factors
What is the name of the two research strategies Allport developed?
- Nomothetic approach: assumes all people can be described along a single dimension according to their levels of certain traits that everyone have (common traits)
- Idiographic approach: identifies individual’s unique combination of trait that they determine for themselves.
iWhat are the three types of traits identified in the idographic approach?
- Cardinal trait: single trait that best defines a person, more dominant and representative trait (*not everyone has it)
- Central traits: 4-5 centrals and core traits
- secondary traits: traits not central to personality, more interests and hobbies
How did Allport define personality?
Dynamic organization within individuals of psychosocial systems determining characteristics behaviors and thoughts
Which two other approaches did Allport’s definition of personality oppose?
Behaviorism (personality = history of rewards) and psychoanalytics (personality = unconscious memories)
What school of psychology did Allport also take inspiration from?
Gestalt psychology
What is the first element that constitutes a good theory of personality, according to Allport?
- Personality contained within the individual
Theory that explains the internal mechanisms and not focused on external mechanisms (like behaviorism)
What is the second element that constitutes a good theory of personality, according to Allport?
- Views person as filled with variables that contribute to actions
Reaction against behaviorism, who argues that the brain is an empty vessels
What is the third element that constitutes a good theory of personality, according to Allport?
- Seeks motives for behaviors in the present
Reaction against psychoanalysis, rather adults are aware of their motives
What is the fourth element that constitutes a good theory of personality, according to Allport?
- Employs units of measure capable of living synthesis
People are more than test scores; they need to measure whole and dynamic personality
What is the fifth element that constitutes a good theory of personality, according to Allport?
- Adequately account for self-awareness
According to Allport, what shapes personality?
Genetic, which provides raw materials and environment
What does Allport mean when he says personality is discontinious?
That there is no continuum between childhood and adulthood, rather many stages separate both, and that adult personality is not constrained by early experiences
Why is personality predictable according to Allport?
Because traits organize experiences and confront events based on them, if you know someone’s trait, you can predict their general behaviors
What influences schemas?
Traits are influenced by schemas and they become part of our self-schemas
What is the interaction between trait and situation?
Traits are range of possible behaviors activated at varying points within a range according to demands of a situation
What is the Proprium?
State when all of the aspects of personality are integrated by the organizing agent. For Allport, the organizing agent is the proprium
What are the two types of conscience?
- Must conscience: things we must do by fear of punishment
- Ought conscience: goals we ought to achieve, closely tied to Proprium
What are the first three stages of the development of the proprium that happen between 1-3 years old?
- Bodily-self: aware of our existence
- Self-identity: identity remains intact despite of change
- Self-esteem: take pride in accomplishment
What are the 2 stages of the development of the proprium that happen between 4-6 years old?
- Extension of self: recognize objects and people of their world
- Self-image: idealized version of self
What is the stage of the development of the proprium that happens between 6-12 years old?
- Self as rational: apply reason and logic
What is the stage of the development of the proprium that happens between 12-18 years old?
- Propriate striving: formulation of long-term goals
What is the stage of the development of the proprium that happens between 18 years old?
- Adulthood: autonomous of childhood motives
What did Raymond Cattell do?
Factor analysis: technic used to determine structure of human personality, he identified 16 source traits = basis personality traits
What approach did Cattell use?
Nomothetic approach
What is Cattell’s definition of personality?
That which permits a prediction of how someone will behave
What did Eysenck’s do?
Also using factor analysis, he identified 3 dimensions of personlity: extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism
Eysenck’s theory was a mix of Trait approach and…?
Biological approach
Why was Eysenck’s theory biological?
He firmly believed in the prevalence of genes. He looked at twins studies where even though they were raised apart, they still lived very similar lives
What is the big 5?
Using modern factor analysis, researchers identified 5 factors that underlie personality: openness, consciousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism
Who is Henry Murray?
He created personology, a blend of psychoanalysis and trait approach in which he identified needs as the basis for behaviors.
What are the two types of needs, according to Murray?
- Viscerogenic needs: basis survival needs
- Psychogenic needs: response to conditions that are largely unconscious and can be activated by cues in the environment
What are 4 principles of Murray’s personology?
- Personality is rooted in the brain; evidence of this is that drugs that influence brain capacities also influence behavior (still true today)
- Tension reduction: people act to have satisfaction by reducing tension, and lack of tension leads to distress
- Personality develops over time; it is is constructed of all events and dynamic (like Erikson)
- Everyone is unique, but also similar
What was Murray’s biggest contribution?
TAT, where people can be described in terms of personal hierarchy of needs and a press situation has the ability to activate such needs
