Module 62: Trait Theories

Traits

A characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act in certain ways, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Sort people by personality test for leadership Training, counseling, and team development

Factor analysis

Statistical procedure that identifies clusters of test items that tap basic components of a trait

Hans Eysenek

Believed we reduce individual variation to two dimensions, created personality test that extraversion and emotional factor as basic personality dimension. It confirmed it as genetically influenced

Introversion

Those reactive autonomic nervous system respond to stress with great anxiety and inbibition

Personality inventories

A questionnaire (often with true-false of agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

The most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered its most appropriate test); this test is now used for many other screening purposes

Empirically-derived test

A test (such as the MMPI)created by selecting from a pool of items those that discriminate between groups

Big Five

Active personality research topic in 1980 and currently. Best of basic trait dimensions.that predict characteristics for career paths, sustained trait path and renewed for language pattern

OCEAN or CANOE

Self-report inventories to assess and score the big 5 personality traits

Stability

Personality continues to develop and change through late childhood and adolescence; shows similar personality maturation after age 40

Heritability

Extent to which individual differences attribute to genes having small effect combined to influence our traits

Brain structure

Size and thickness of brain tissue, have high neuroticism have brain that wired to stress intensely

Birth order

Controlling other variables are first born, massive studies fail to associate birth order and personality

Culture

in various cultures reasonably well concluded features of Personality Traits are common to all human group

Behavior

People report their traits have appeared in their language patterns

Person-situation controversy

Look for genuine personality traits that persist over time