TRAIT AND PERSONALITY

THEORIES
 CONTENTS

VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE

BIOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
CONCEPT OF THEORY
CRITICISMS
PERSONAL EVALUATION
RESEARCH VALIDATION
 VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
TRAIT PERSONALITY THEORIES OUTLOOK ON HUMAN NATURE CAN BE
CONSIDERED AS NEUTRAL. THE THEORY LOOKS ON HUMANS AS
NEUTRALS, POSSESSING NEITHER POSITIVE NOR NEGATIVE TRAIT. ONE
OF THE BASIC ASSUMPTION THE TRAIT THEORIES HAS IS THAT PEOPLE
POSSESS A BROAD NATURES, CALLED TRAIT TO RESPOND IN A
PARTICULAR WAYS. (CERVONE & PERVIN, 2008). AS HUMAN BEINGS,
TRAIT THEORIES STATES THAT WE POSSESS WIDE VARIETY OF TRAIT
CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE CONSTANT OVER TIME. ALTHOUGH
HUMANS POSSESS WIDE VARIETY OF TRAIT CHARACTERISTICS, NOT
EVERYONE SHARES THE SAME TRAIT CHARACTERISTICS.
 VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
THE DIFFERENT COMBINATION OF TRAITS FOUND IN EACH PERSON
ARE THE ONES THAT MAKES EACH UNIQUE. TRAIT THEORIES ARE
THEREFORE FOCUSED ON THE DIFFERENCES IN PEOPLE WITH
RELATION TO THEIR OWN SET OF PERSONALITY TRAITS.
 VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE
THE HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF TRAIT THEORY IS BASED AROUND THE
MEASUREMENT AND COMPREHENSION OF TRAITS. TRAITS ARE CHARACTERISTIC
PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR THAT ARE ASSESSED USING OF A VARIETY OF METHODS.
THE TRAIT THEORY BELIEVES TRAITS ARE STABLE OVER TIME. THIS MEANS A
PERSON'S TRAITS DO NOT CHANGE WITH TIME AND ENVIRONMENT. THE TRAIT
THEORY ALSO PROMOTES DIFFERENCE IN TRAITS IN INDIVIDUALS AND THE
INFLUENCE OF TRAITS ON BEHAVIORS. THE TRAIT THEORY SUPPORTS THE IDEA
THAT TRAITS VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND THAT TRAITS REMAIN
CONSTANT. THE TRAIT THEORY ALSO BELIEVES ATTRIBUTES BEHAVIOR TO
TRAITS. THE TRAIT THEORY IS USED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF BEHAVIORS
IN INDIVIDUALS COMPARED TO OTHERS.
ALLPORT’S TRAIT THEORY
OF PERSONALITY
 GORDON W. ALLPORT
NOVEMBER 11, 1897-OCTOBER
9,1967

GORDON W. ALLPORT WAS A LONGTIME AND

INFLUENTIAL MEMBER OF THE FACULTY AT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY FROM 1930 TO 1967. IN
1931, HE SERVED ON THE FACULTY
COMMITTEE THAT ESTABLISHED HARVARD'S
SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
HE RECEIVED THE APA'S DISTINGUISHED
SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION AWARD. GORDON
ALLPORT DIED ON OCTOBER 9, 1967 IN
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS OF LUNG
CANCER. HE WAS SEVENTY YEARS OLD.
 GORDON W. ALLPORT
NOV.11, 1897-OCT.9,1967

ALLPORT WAS BORN IN MONTEZUMA, INDIANA, THE

YOUNGEST OF FOUR SONS OF JOHN EDWARD AND
NELLIE EDITH (WISE) ALLPORT. WHEN GORDON WAS
SIX YEARS OLD, THE FAMILY HAD MOVED MANY
TIMES AND FINALLY SETTLING IN OHIO; HIS EARLY
EDUCATION WAS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF
CLEVELAND, OHIO. 
HE WORKED AS AN INSTRUCTOR IN PSYCHOLOGY
FROM 1924 TO 1926 AND BEGAN TEACHING HIS
COURSE "PERSONALITY: ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
SOCIAL ASPECTS" IN 1924; IT WAS PROBABLY THE
FIRST COURSE IN PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY EVER
TAUGHT IN THE U.S.
 GORDON W. ALLPORT
NOV.11, 1897-OCT.9,1967

ALLPORT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST

PSYCHOLOGIST TO FOCUS ON THE STUDY
OF PERSONALITY TRAITS.
HE FOCUSES ON THE UNIQUENESS ON AN
INDIVIDUAL AND IMPORTANCE OF THE
PRESENT CONTEXT AND OPPOSED TO
PAST HISTORY.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY

ACCORDING TO ALLPORT’S TRAIT PERSONALITY THEORY, ALL HUMANS HAS

COMMON TRAIT AND INDIVIDUAL TRAIT.
COMMON TRAITS REFERS TO CHARACTERISTICS WHICH ARE MORE GENERAL
THAN HABITS AND ATTITUDES IN RESPECT TO WHICH PEOPLE IN A POPULATION
CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY COMPARED.
INDIVIDUAL TRAITS REFERS TO BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE NOT
FOUND IN ALL PERSONS AND MAY NOT EVEN EXIST THAT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-COMMON AND INDIVIDUAL TRAIT

ACCORDING TO ALLPORT’S TRAIT PERSONALITY THEORY, ALL HUMANS HAS

COMMON TRAIT AND INDIVIDUAL TRAIT.
COMMON TRAITS REFERS TO CHARACTERISTICS WHICH ARE MORE GENERAL
THAN HABITS AND ATTITUDES IN RESPECT TO WHICH PEOPLE IN A POPULATION
CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY COMPARED.
INDIVIDUAL TRAITS REFERS TO BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE NOT
FOUND IN ALL PERSONS AND MAY NOT EVEN EXIST THAT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-ALLPORT’S TRAIT LEVELS
CARDINAL TRAITS- REFERS TO THE TRAITS THAT DOMINATES AND SHAPES A PERSON’S
BEHAVIOR, OFTEN TO THE POINT THAT THE PERSON BECOMES KNOW SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE
TRAITS (E.G NARCISSISM, CHRIST-LIKE, MARTYRS).
CENTRAL TRAITS-REFERS TO THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT CONTROL LESS OF A PERSON’S
BEHAVIOR BUT ARE NEVERTHELESS IMPORTANT. THESE ARE THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS THAT
SHAPES MOST OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR. (E.G. HONEST, KIND, LOVING, PROUD, FUNNY).
SECONDARY TRAITS- REFERS CHARACTERISTICS SEEN ONLY IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
THESE TRAITS ARE SOMETIMES RELATED TO ATTITUDES OR PREFERENCES AND OFTEN APPEARS
ONLY UNDER SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES (E.G. ANXIOUS WHEN SPEAKING TO A GROUP OR
IMPATIENT WHILE IN LINE)
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-ALLPORT’S GENOTYPES AND PHENOTYPES
• ALLPORT HYPOTHESIZED THE IDEA OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FORCES THAT
INFLUENCE AN INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR. HE CALLED THESE FORCES GENOTYPES AND
PHENOTYPES. 
• GENOTYPES ARE INTERNAL FORCES THAT RELATE TO HOW A PERSON RETAINS
INFORMATION AND USES IT TO INTERACT WITH THE EXTERNAL WORLD. 
• PHENOTYPES ARE EXTERNAL FORCES, THESE RELATE TO THE WAY AN INDIVIDUAL
ACCEPTS HIS SURROUNDINGS AND HOW OTHERS INFLUENCE THEIR BEHAVIOR. THESE
FORCES GENERATE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE BEHAVE AND ARE THE GROUNDWORK FOR
THE CREATION OF INDIVIDUAL TRAITS.
• THE PROBLEM WITH THIS HYPOTHESIS IS THAT IT CANNOT BE PROVEN AS THEY ARE
INTERNAL THEORIES, INFLUENCED PRESUMABLY BY THE OUTER ENVIRONMENT.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-ALLPORT’S DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF

INFANCY- THE BODILY SELF

UP TO 18 MONTHS-SELF IDENTITY
2 TO 3 YEARS OLD-SELF ESTEEM
4 TO 6 YEARS OLD-SELF EXTENSION, SELF IMAGE
7 TO 12 YEARS OLD- THE SELF AS RATIONAL
ADOLESCENCES ONWARDS- THE SELF AS KNOWER-INTEGRATING ALL THE ASPECTS
OF THE SELF
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-ALLPORT’S DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATURE
PERSONALITY
ALLPORT BELIEVED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATURE PERSONALITY
TAKES TIME AND THAT ONLY THE ADULT IS CAPABLE OF COMING CLOSE TO SELF-
REALIZATION.
AS THEIR SELF DEVELOPMENT, CHILDREN ALSO LEARN TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
AGAINST THREATS THROUGH THE USE OF VARIOUS DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-ALLPORT’S FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY OF
MOTIVES
• ALLPORT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST RESEARCHERS TO DRAW A DISTINCTION
BETWEEN MOTIVE AND DRIVE. HE SUGGESTED THAT A DRIVE FORMS AS A
REACTION TO A MOTIVE, WHICH MAY OUTGROW THE MOTIVE AS THE REASON
FOR A BEHAVIOR. THE DRIVE THEN BECOMES AUTONOMOUS AND DISTINCT
FROM THE MOTIVE, WHETHER THE MOTIVE WAS INSTINCT OR SOMETHING ELSE.
THE IDEA THAT DRIVES CAN BECOME INDEPENDENT OF THE ORIGINAL MOTIVES
FOR A GIVEN BEHAVIOR IS KNOWN AS "FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY.“
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-ALLPORT’S FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY OF
MOTIVES
CHARACTERISTICS OF MATURITY
1 EXTENSION OF THE SENSE OF SELF-PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES THAT GO BEYOND
THEMSELVES.
2. WARM RELATEDNESS TO OTHERS—INTIMACY AND COMPASSION
3. SELF-ACCEPTANCE--EMOTIONALLY SECURE.
4. REALISTIC PERCEPTION OF REALITY--DO NOT CONTINUALLY DISTORT REALITY .
5. SELF-OBJECTIFICATION--INSIGHT INTO THEIR OWN ABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS
MURRAY'S TRAIT THEORY OF
PERSONALITY
 HENRY A. MURRAY
MAY 13, 1893 – JUNE 23, 1988

HENRY MURRAY'S HISTORY IS ANYTHING BUT A PREREQUISITE

FOR A CAREER IN PSYCHOLOGY. HE EARNED HIS BACHELOR'S
DEGREE IN HISTORY IN 1915, A MEDICAL DEGREE FROM
COLUMBIA IN 1919 AND THEN COMPLETED A DOCTORATE IN
BIOCHEMISTRY FROM CAMBRIDGE NINE YEARS LATER.
HIS START IN PSYCHOLOGY OCCURRED AFTER READING JUNG
AND EVENTUALLY ARRANGING A MEETING WITH HIM. DURING
THIS MEETING, JUNG CONVINCED MURRAY TO STUDY
PSYCHOANALYSIS, WHICH HE DID AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
AFTER COMPETING HIS TRAINING, MURRAY ACTUALLY BEGAN
TEACHING PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY AT
HARVARD, AND HE REMAINED THERE FOR THE REST OF HIS
PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
 HENRY A. MURRAY
MAY 13, 1893 – JUNE 23, 1988

ALTHOUGH CONSIDERED A TRAIT THEORIST, MURRAY'S

MEDICAL BACKGROUND, COMBINED WITH HIS ANALYTICAL
TRAINING GIVE A UNIQUE FLAIR TO HIS RESEARCH AND
WRITING. THIS IS PROBABLY MOST EVIDENT IN HIS
DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST (TAT), A
PERSONALITY TEST DESIGNED TO DETERMINE PERSONALITY
THEMES AS WELL AS UNCONSCIOUS MOTIVATION.
HE WAS FOCUSED ON BASIC NEEDS IN PERSONALITY WHICH HE
CALLED PSYCHOGENIC NEEDS. HE BELIEVED THESE NEEDS
WERE LARGELY AT THE UNCONSCIOUS LEVEL. AFTER
RESEARCHING THIS AREA, HE NARROWED THESE NEEDS DOWN
TO 27, ALTHOUGH THE LIST AND NAMES VARY DEPENDING ON
THE TIME FRAME AND THE AUTHOR.
 HENRY A. MURRAY
MAY 13, 1893 – JUNE 23, 1988

HENRY ALEXANDER MURRAY (MAY 13, 1893 – JUNE 23,

1988) WAS AN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST AT HARVARD
UNIVERSITY. HE WAS DIRECTOR OF THE HARVARD
PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC IN THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND
SCIENCES AFTER 1930. MURRAY DEVELOPED A THEORY
OF PERSONALITY CALLED PERSONOLOGY, BASED ON
"NEED" AND "PRESS". MURRAY WAS ALSO A CO-
DEVELOPER, WITH CHRISTIANA MORGAN, OF THE
THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST (TAT), WHICH HE
REFERRED TO AS "THE SECOND BEST-SELLER THAT
HARVARD EVER PUBLISHED, SECOND ONLY TO THE
HARVARD HANDBOOK OF MUSIC."
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PERSONOLOGY
ACCORDING TO MURRAY, AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONALITY DEVELOPS
DYNAMICALLY AS EACH PERSON RESPONDS TO COMPLEX ELEMENTS IN HER OR
HIS SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT. MURRAY VIEWED AN INDIVIDUAL'S ENTIRE LIFE AS
ONE UNIT, AND POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH A SPECIFIC ELEMENT OF A
PERSON'S LIFE CAN BE STUDIED THROUGH PSYCHOLOGY, THIS STUDIED EPISODE
GIVES AN INCOMPLETE PICTURE OF THE ENTIRE LIFE UNIT. TO PROPERLY ANALYZE
THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE, MURRAY FAVORED A NARRATIVE APPROACH TO
STUDYING PERSONALITY, WHICH HE CALLED "PERSONOLOGY". THE
PERSONOLOGICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN USED AS AN APPROACH FOR MULTIPLE
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES: PHILOSOPHY, HUMANISM, BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, AND
SOCIETAL AND CULTURAL STUDIES.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PERSONOLOGY
MURRAY DIVIDED PERSONOLOGY INTO FIVE PRINCIPLES:
(1) CEREBRAL PHYSIOLOGY, ROOTED IN THE BRAIN, GOVERNS ALL ASPECTS OF
PERSONALITY.
(2) PEOPLE ACT TO REDUCE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TENSION TO GAIN
SATISFACTION, BUT DO NOT STRIVE TO BE TENSION-FREE, AND RATHER CYCLE BETWEEN
SEEKING EXCITEMENT, ACTIVITY AND MOVEMENT IN THEIR LIVES AND THEN RELAXING.
(3) AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONALITY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OVER TIME AND IS
INFLUENCED BY ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT OCCUR OVER A PERSON'S LIFETIME.
(4) PERSONALITY IS NOT FIXED AND IT CAN CHANGE AND PROGRESS, AND
(5) EACH PERSON HAS SOME UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS AND OTHERS WHICH ARE SHARED
BY EVERYONE.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PERSONOLOGY
MURRAY'S THEORY OF PERSONALITY IS ROOTED IN PSYCHOANALYSIS, AND THE
CHIEF BUSINESS AND AIM OF PERSONOLOGY IS THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE
INDIVIDUAL'S PAST LIFE EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN THEIR PRESENT
BEHAVIOR. TO STUDY PERSONALITY, MURRAY USED FREE ASSOCIATION AND
DREAM ANALYSIS TO BRING UNCONSCIOUS MATERIAL TO LIGHT. 
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PSYCHOGENIC NEEDS
NEED FOR POWER - REFERS TO THE DESIRE OR NEED TO IMPACT OTHER PEOPLE, TO
CONTROL OR BE IN A POSITION OF INFLUENCE. CAREERS THAT INVOLVE THESE
ASPECTS ARE BETTER SUITED FOR HIGH NPOW PEOPLE, SUCH AS TEACHERS,
PSYCHOLOGISTS, JOURNALISTS, AND SUPERVISORS. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY
MAKE THE BEST LEADERS THOUGH. RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT THOSE WITH
HIGH NPOW ARE MORE LIKELY TO RATE AN EMPLOYEE HIGHER IF THAT EMPLOYEE
HAS A TENDENCY TO SCHMOOZE OR FLATTER THE SUBJECT WHERE THOSE WITH
LOW OR MODERATE NPOW RATE EMPLOYEES THE SAME. IN THIS SENSE, THOSE
WITH HIGH NPOW WOULD DO WELL IF THEY ALSO HAD TRAITS OF SELF-CONTROL
AND OBJECTIVITY
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PSYCHOGENIC NEEDS
DESCRIPTION OF NEED
• ABASEMENT TO SURRENDER AND ACCEPT PUNISHMENT
• ACHIEVEMENT TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND SUCCEED
• ACQUISITION (CONSERVANCY) TO OBTAIN POSSESSIONS
• AFFILIATION TO MAKE ASSOCIATIONS AND FRIENDSHIPS
• AGGRESSION TO INJURE OTHERS
• AUTONOMY TO RESIST OTHERS AND STAND STRONG
• BLAME AVOIDANCE TO AVOID BLAME AND OBEY THE RULES
• CONSTRUCTION O BUILD OR CREATE
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PSYCHOGENIC NEEDS
• CONTRARIANCE TO BE UNIQUE
• COUNTERACTION TO DEFEND HONOR
• DEPENDENCE TO JUSTIFY ACTIONS
• DEFERENCE TO FOLLOW A SUPERIOR, TO SERVE
• DOMINANCE (POWER) TO CONTROL AND LEAD OTHERS
• EXHIBITION TO ATTRACT ATTENTION
• EXPOSITION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, EDUCATE
• HARM AVOIDANCE TO AVOID PAIN
• INFAVOIDANCE TO AVOID FAILURE, SHAME, OR TO CONCEAL A WEAKNESS
• NURTURANCE TO PROTECT THE HELPLESS  ORDER TO ARRANGE, ORGANIZE, AND BE PRECISE
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PSYCHOGENIC NEEDS
• PLAY TO RELIEVE TENSION, HAVE FUN, OR RELAX
• RECOGNITION TO GAIN APPROVAL AND SOCIAL STATUS
• REJECTION TO EXCLUDE ANOTHER
• SENTIENCE TO ENJOY SENSUOUS IMPRESSIONS
• SEX (EROTIC) TO FORM AND ENJOY AN EROTIC RELATIONSHIP
• SEMBLANCE TO EMPATHIZE
• OCCURRENCE TO SEEK PROTECTION OR SYMPATHY
• UNDERSTANDING (COGNIZANCE) TO ANALYZE AND EXPERIENCE, TO SEEK
KNOWLEDGE
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-MURRAY’S PSYCHOGENIC NEEDS
• PLAY TO RELIEVE TENSION, HAVE FUN, OR RELAX
• RECOGNITION TO GAIN APPROVAL AND SOCIAL STATUS
• REJECTION TO EXCLUDE ANOTHER
• SENTIENCE TO ENJOY SENSUOUS IMPRESSIONS
• SEX (EROTIC) TO FORM AND ENJOY AN EROTIC RELATIONSHIP
• SEMBLANCE TO EMPATHIZE
• OCCURRENCE TO SEEK PROTECTION OR SYMPATHY
• UNDERSTANDING (COGNIZANCE) TO ANALYZE AND EXPERIENCE, TO SEEK
KNOWLEDGE
 RAYMOND BERNARD
CATTELL
MARCH 20, 1905 –FEBRUARY 2, 1998
RAYMOND BERNARD CATTELL WAS A BRITISH-
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST, KNOWN FOR HIS
PSYCHOMETRIC RESEARCH INTO INTRAPERSONAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE.. HIS WORK ALSO
EXPLORED THE BASIC DIMENSIONS
OF PERSONALITY AND TEMPERAMENT, THE RANGE OF
COGNITIVE ABILITIES, THE DYNAMIC DIMENSIONS
OF MOTIVATION AND EMOTION, THE CLINICAL
DIMENSIONS OF ABNORMAL PERSONALITY, PATTERNS OF
GROUP SYNTALITY AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR,
APPLICATIONS OF PERSONALITY RESEARCH
TO PSYCHOTHERAPY AND LEARNING THEORY,
PREDICTORS OF CREATIVITY AND ACHIEVEMENT, AND
MANY MULTIVARIATE RESEARCH METHODS] INCLUDING
THE REFINEMENT OF FACTOR ANALYTIC METHODS FOR
EXPLORING AND MEASURING THESE DOMAINS.
 RAYMOND BERNARD
CATTELL
MARCH 20, 1905 –FEBRUARY 2, 1998
• CATTELL WAS BORN IN ENGLAND IN 1905 TO A FAMILY
OF ENGINEERS.

• CATTELL WAS A BRIGHT STUDENT, GRADUATING WITH

HIS DOCTORATE IN PSYCHOLOGY IN 1929 FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON AT 23.

• IN 1937, CATTELL WAS INVITED TO THE STATES BY E.L.

THORNDIKE IN NEW YORK.

• IT WAS IN ILLINOIS, THAT HE SPENT HIS MOST

PRODUCTIVE YEARS DEVELOPING PERSONALITY
TESTS.

• IN 1997, HE WAS AWARDED A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

AWARD FROM THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL
FOUNDATION.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-CATTELL FACTOR-ANALYTIC TRAIT THEORY
• CATTELL VIEWS PERSONALITY AS A COMPLEX AND DIFFERENTIATED STRUCTURE OF TRAITS.
VIEW OF PERSONALITY
• TRAIT IS RELATIVELY PERMANENT REACTION TENDENCIES THAT ARE BASIC STRUCTURAL
UNITS OF THE PERSONALITY.
• FACTOR ANALYSIS -A COMPLICATED STATISTICAL METHOD THAT FINDS RELATIONSHIPS
AMONG MANY DIFFERENT OR DIVERSE ITEMS AND ALLOWS THEM TO BE GROUPED
TOGETHER.
• TRAIT THEORY - AN APPROACH FOR ANALYZING THE STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY BY
MEASURING, IDENTIFYING, AND CLASSIFYING SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN
PERSONALITY OR TRAITS.
 CONCEPT OF THEORY
-CATTELL 16 PERSONALITY FACTOR (16PF)
THEORY
• THE 16PF PROVIDES A MEASURE OF NORMAL PERSONALITY AND CAN ALSO BE USED BY
PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AS A CLINICAL INSTRUMENT TO
HELP DIAGNOSE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, AND HELP WITH PROGNOSIS AND THERAPY PLANNING.
THE 16PF CAN ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE CLINICAL AND COUNSELING
PROCESS, SUCH AS AN INDIVIDUAL’S CAPACITY FOR INSIGHT, SELF-ESTEEM, COGNITIVE STYLE,
INTERNALIZATION OF STANDARDS, OPENNESS TO CHANGE, CAPACITY FOR EMPATHY, LEVEL OF
INTERPERSONAL TRUST, QUALITY OF ATTACHMENTS, INTERPERSONAL NEEDS, ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY, REACTION TOWARD DYNAMICS OF POWER, FRUSTRATION TOLERANCE, AND COPING
STYLE. THUS, THE 16PF INSTRUMENT PROVIDES CLINICIANS WITH A NORMAL-RANGE
MEASUREMENT OF ANXIETY, ADJUSTMENT, EMOTIONAL STABILITY AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS.
CLINICIANS CAN USE 16PF RESULTS TO IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR ESTABLISHING A
WORKING ALLIANCE, TO DEVELOP A THERAPEUTIC PLAN, AND TO SELECT EFFECTIVE
THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS OR MODES OF TREATMENT.[1] IT CAN ALSO BE USED WITHIN OTHER
AREAS OF PSYCHOLOGY, SUCH AS CAREER AND OCCUPATIONAL SELECTION
CRITICISM OF TRAIT PERSONALITY THEORIES

1. BEING PURELY DESCRIPTIVE AND OFFERING LITTLE EXPLANATION OF THE

UNDERLYING CAUSES OF PERSONALITY
2. LEAD SOME PEOPLE TO ACCEPT OVERSIMPLIFIED CLASSIFICATIONS
3. UNDERESTIMATE THE EFFECT OF SPECIFIC SITUATIONS ON PEOPLE'S
BEHAVIOR.
4. POOR PREDICTORS OF BEHAVIOR.
 PERSONAL EVALUATION

• QUANTIFYING TRAIT IN ORDER TO MEASURE PERSONALITY IS A

STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACH. THE USAGE OF CORRELATION AND FACTOR
ANALYSIS ARE BEST IN ACCOMPLISHING THIS TASK.
• HOWEVER, IF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS BOXED DOWN INTO TRAITS, WE HAVE NO
WAY IF THESE TRAITS ARE BEING EXPRESSED IN ACTUAL SCENARIOS. ALSO ONE
FACTORS TO CONSIDER IS THE ENVIRONMENT. ENVIRONMENT HAS A
PROBABILITY TO ALTER THE EXPRESSION OF A TRAIT, SPECIALLY IN A VERY
STRESSFUL AND CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.