course herowhich of the following is not a type of trait (as described in what is a trait?)

What is a trait?

A trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways. The trait approach to personality is one of the major theoretical areas in the study of personality. The trait theory suggests that individual personalities are composed of these broad dispositions. 1

Can people be described based on their traits?

Most theorists and psychologists agree that people can be described based on their personality traits. Yet, theorists continue to debate the number of basic traits that make up human personality. While trait theory has an objectivity that some personality theories lack (such as Freud’s psychoanalytic theory), it also has weaknesses.

What do trait theorists seek to identify in personality traits?

Thus, trait theorists seek to identify what behaviors go together. Raymond Cattell identified 16 source traits that he considered to be at the core of personality. He placed these traits on a continuum with the opposites on either end of the continuum. For example, "reserved" is on one end and "outgoing" on the other.

What is an example of a trait theory?

Secondly, trait theorists assume that there are underlying reasons for the consistency of human behavior. For example, an underlying trait of self-confidence might be used to explain more superficial characteristics like social aggressiveness and dependency.

What Is a Trait?

A trait is a personality characteristic that has met three criteria: it must be consistent, stable, and vary from person to person. 1 Based on this definition, a trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways.

What is a trait in psychology?

A trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways. The trait approach to personality is one of the major theoretical areas in the study of personality. The trait theory suggests that individual personalities are composed of these broad dispositions. 1 

What are the dimensions of personality?

Eysenck’s 3 Dimensions of Personality 1 Introversion/extraversion : Introversion involves directing attention to inner experiences, while extroversion relates to focusing attention outward on other people and the environment. A person high in introversion might be quiet and reserved, while an individual high in extroversion might be sociable and outgoing. 2 Neuroticism/emotional stability : This dimension of Eysenck’s trait theory is related to moodiness versus even-temperateness. Neuroticism refers to an individual’s tendency to become upset or emotional, while stability refers to the tendency to remain emotionally constant. 3 Psychoticism : Later, after studying individuals suffering from mental illness, Eysenck added a personality dimension he called psychoticism to his trait theory. Individuals who are high on this trait tend to have difficulty dealing with reality and may be antisocial, hostile, non- empathetic, and manipulative.

How did Raymond Cattell reduce the number of personality traits from Allport’s initial list of over 4,000 down to?

Trait theorist Raymond Cattell reduced the number of main personality traits from Allport’s initial list of over 4,000 down to 171 . He did so primarily by eliminating uncommon traits and combining common characteristics.

What is the 5 factor theory of personality?

Both Cattell’s and Eysenck’s theories have been the subject of considerable research. This has led some theorists to believe that Cattell focused on too many traits, while Eysenck focused on too few. As a result, a new trait theory often referred to as the "Big Five" theory emerged.

What are some criticisms of trait theory?

Some of the most common criticisms of trait theory center on the fact that traits are often poor predictors of behavior. While an individual may score high on assessments of a specific trait, he may not always behave that way in every situation.

How many traits did Cattell find?

Next, Cattell rated a large sample of individuals for these 171 different traits. Then, using a statistical technique known as factor analysis, he identified closely related terms and eventually reduced his list to just 16 key personality traits.