AP Psychology- Unit 7 Module 57

Module 57 Trait Theories

Learning Targets

  • 57-1 Explain how psychologists use traits to describe personality.

  • 57-2 Discuss some common misunderstandings about introversion.

  • 57-3 Describe personality inventories, and discuss their strengths and weaknesses as trait assessment tools.

  • 57-4 Identify the traits that seem to provide the most useful information about personality variation.

  • 57-5 Discuss whether research supports the consistency of personality traits over time and across situations.

Self-Reflection Exercise

  • How well do you know yourself? If asked, what would you say are your top ten personality traits? List them and share with a partner.

Definitions and Concepts

What is a Trait?

  • A trait is defined as a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act in certain ways.

  • It is assessed through self-report inventories and peer reports.

Example Characteristics:

  • Logical

  • Emotional

  • Solid

  • Unreliable

  • Hilarious

  • Moody

Understanding Personality Traits

How do Psychologists Use Traits to Describe Personality?

  • Trait theorists, including Gordon Allport and Isabelle Briggs-Myers (along with her mother Katherine Briggs), focus less on explaining traits and more on describing them.

  • Tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) aim to sort people into personality types but may lack ongoing validity due to changes in individuals over time.

Limitations of Trait Classifications

  • Classifying people into distinct personality types can overlook individual uniqueness.

  • Individuals possess multiple traits that together contribute to a complex personality.

Trait Dimensions

  • Psychologists Hans Eysenck and Sybil Eysenck proposed that individual variations can be simplified into two main dimensions:

    • Extraversion–Introversion

    • Emotional Stability–Instability

Testing the Trait Dimensions

  • The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire has been taken by individuals in 35 countries including China, Uganda, and Russia, revealing the extraversion and emotionality dimensions as fundamental personality traits (Eysenck, 1990, 1992).

Understanding Introversion

  • For example: An introverted person might enjoy a party but prefers to recharge alone afterward, while an extravert may continue socializing.

Misconceptions about Extraversion

  • A successful, talkative person may not necessarily be an extravert; they might be drawing on their energy for social engagement and would later prefer solitude.

Personality Inventories

Definition

  • A personality inventory is defined as an objective questionnaire that includes true-false or agree-disagree items aimed at gauging a range of feelings and behaviors.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

  • This is one of the most widely researched and clinically used objective personality tests.

  • Initially developed to identify emotional disorders, it is currently also used in various employment assessments to determine personality characteristics.

Design Features of the MMPI

  • The MMPI consists of over 500 empirically derived self-report true/false questions (e.g., “Nothing in the newspaper interests me except the comics”).

  • The responses are compared with those of individuals diagnosed with mental disorders, with similarities potentially indicating the presence of a disorder.

Understanding Empirically-Derived Tests

  • An empirically-derived test, like the MMPI, is created by selecting items that effectively differentiate between groups.

  • Even though personality inventories are objectively scored, objectivity does not guarantee that the results are valid.

MMPI Scales

  • The MMPI groups questions into 10 clinical scales that assess various tendencies, including depressive tendencies and introversion-extraversion.

  • The updated MMPI-2 features additional scales evaluating work attitudes, family issues, and anger.

Key Traits for Understanding Personality Variation

Trait Research Overview

  • Current trait researchers support simple trait factors like the Eysencks’ dimensions but recognize that they do not fully explain personality.

  • The Big Five personality factors, proposed by Robert McCrae and Paul Costa, offer a more comprehensive understanding.

The Big Five Personality Factors

  1. Conscientiousness

    • Traits: Organized, detail-oriented, goal-driven.

  2. Agreeableness

    • Traits: Cooperative, empathetic, caring, enjoy helping others.

  3. Neuroticism

    • Traits: Mood swings, irritability, worry, anxiety.

  4. Openness

    • Traits: Creative, adventurous, enjoys new experiences.

  5. Extraversion

    • Traits: Outgoing, enjoys social environments and making new friends.

Trait Assessment Exercise

  • Self-Description Exercise: Describe yourself as you usually are. Assess yourself using a numerical scale from 1 (very inaccurate) to 5 (very accurate) against traits representative of the Big Five.

  • Scoring Guide for Assessment:

    • Conscientiousness: Statements 4, 8

    • Agreeableness: Statements 2, 7

    • Neuroticism: Statements 3, 9

    • Openness: Statements 5, 10

    • Extraversion: Statements 1, 6

  • Example Calculation for Agreeableness: If statement 2 scores 3 and statement 7 scores 4, then:

    • Total = 3 + 4 = 7

    • Average = 7 ÷ 2 = 3.5.

Reflection on Self-Assessment

  • Discuss your initial placement on the Big Five dimensions with a classmate and reflect on whether results were expected or surprising.

Stability of Personality Traits

Consistency Over Time

  • While some personality traits seem stable, new situations or life events can provoke changes in expressed traits.

  • Research indicates that overall, cheerful children grow into cheerful adults; however, context matters regarding trait manifestation.

Person-Situation Controversy

  • The interplay between individual personality and environmental influences shapes behavior.

  • Exploring this controversy allows for insights into whether personality traits are consistent across varied contexts and situations.

  • Example: A friendly individual may exhibit friendliness across circumstances, but how consistent is this behavior?

Personality Stability with Age

  • Research shows that personality traits generally become more stable with age.

  • A stronger correlation is noted in trait scores when compared with follow-up scores over periods such as seven years (Roberts & DelVecchio, 2000).

Traits and Behaviors

  • Stability in personality traits doesn't imply consistent behavioral responses across differing situations.

Environmental Influence on Traits

  • Behavior can be limited or encouraged by environmental factors.

  • In unfamiliar or formal settings, traits may remain subdued, while in familiar and informal contexts, individuals feel freer to express their traits (Buss, 1989).

Personal Application of Research

  • Consider how your personality traits are reflected in personal music preferences, communication styles, and online behaviors.

  • Reflect on experiences where your behavior significantly shifted due to specific circumstances and discuss with classmates.

Learning Target Reviews

57-1: Psychologists and Traits

  • Trait theorists view personality as a stable and enduring behavior pattern, focusing on differences through factor analysis, identifying clusters of tendencies, and recognizing genetic influences on traits.

57-2: Introversion Misunderstandings

  • Western cultures value extraversion; however, introverts possess equally valuable skills.

  • Introversion ≠ shyness; introverts can excel in leadership and sales roles.

57-3: Personality Inventories

  • Personality inventories assess a spectrum of feelings and behaviors through empirically derived items that are objectively scored.

  • Although they can be faked for impression management, objectivity does not ensure validity.

57-4: Traits and Personality Variation

  • The Big Five factors (Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness, and Extraversion) provide a thorough picture of personality, exhibiting stability across cultures.

  • Genetic factors influence traits' heritability, averaging around 40 percent.

57-5: Trait Consistency Research

  • A person’s average traits are consistent over time and across various contexts; however, they do not accurately predict behavior in singular situations.