chapter 1 - personality traits

personality psychology

the study of the unique, enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that define individuals

• explores how factors like genetics, environments, and experiences shape traits

• understanding individual differences, motivations, and interpersonal dynamics

• aim is to explain why people act and react differently and to improve well-being

trait personality psychology

belief that people differ from one another based on trait dimensions that persist over time and across situations

• each individual falls somewhere on each dimension

the 5-factor model/big 5 personality traits

OCEAN

• openness

• conscientiousness

• extraversion

• agreeableness

• neuroticism

lexical hypothesis/approach

all important personality characteristics should be reflected in language we use to describe other people

• use dictionary to search for descriptors of personality

• conduct factor analysis to group into key factors

  • five factor model of personality

(personality) trait

characteristic pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

• basic dimensions in which people differ

• independent

  • consistent across situations

  • stable over time

  • individual differences (must differ between people)

facets

broad personality traits can be broken down into narrower facets or aspects of the trait

• extraversion has several facets

  • sociability

  • dominance

  • risk-taking

HEXACO model

an alternative to the five-factor model

• includes six traits

• variants of the traits included in the Big Five

  • emotionality [E]

  • extraversion [X]

  • agreeableness [A]

  • conscientiousness [C]

  • openness [O])

  • honesty-humility [H] is unique to this model

person-situation debate

a historical debate about the relative power of personality traits as compared to situational influences on behavior

• situationist critique suggested that people overestimate the extent to which personality traits are consistent across situations

personality

the enduring configuration of characteristics and behavior

• that comprises an individual’s unique adjustment to life,

• including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns

what are the 3 criteria to characterize personality traits?

• consistency

  • across situations

• stability

  • over time

• individual differences

  • must differ between people