1. Personality Development
Lap 4
Personality and Cognitive Development

2. Trait Theory Goals: Describe differences in personality
Can we predict how people will act?
Applies well in different age groups and cultures
Traits- stable, consistent patterns of behavior in most situations that define our personality
Traits combo to form personality
What traits makes up personality and how they relate to actual bhvr?
Whole person
Effected by learning/ social situations/ how we see selves

4. Gordon Allport Trait Theory: Three trait categories Individual:
Specific characteristics that predominate personality
Behavior patterns in different situations over time
Common:
Shared by most members of a culture/a group
Canadians are friendly, Italians love to cook…
Similarities, tell us little about individuals
Individual:
A person’s unique qualities

5. Gordon Allport Individual: (Cardinal- dominates/ directs most bhvrs
A person becomes known for these
Rare, tend to develop later in life)
Central- basic building blocks of personality
General characteristics, obvious to all, reliable
Common/predictable (honest, kind, shy, angry…)
Secondary- less consistent, superficial aspects
Can change by situation (cowardice, )
Attitudes and preferences (food or music choice)

6. Raymond Cattell Source traits- underlying personality characteristics
How are they linked?
Factor Analysis:
Stats/ math formula to be more scientific to define source traits and correlate patterns associated with traits
16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF):
Narrowed down Allport’s trait list to 16 Traits we all have
Produce a trait profile

7. Hans Eysenck Theory of Personality and intelligence:
Genetic factors more important than environment
Intelligence and personality are hereditary
Three Factor Model of personality- universal traits
Psychoticism- distorted reality, anti-social, insensitive…
Extrovert/ Introvert- sociability
Neuroticism- emotional (in)stability- moody, worrier, will power
Everyone has these, but each is expressed at different degrees
Methods:
Uses a wide variety of approaches to gather data
Standardized tests- objective, projective, etc.

8. Five Factor Theory Big 5 Approach- primary dimensions of personality
Q: How will people act in various circumstances?
Reduces Cattell’s 16 even further
CANOE–
Conscientious- responsible, careful, organized, disciplined Agreeableness- kind, trusting, helpful, appreciative
Neuroticism- emotional stability, calm, secure
Openness to Experience- imaginative, appreciates new things, independence
Extroversion- talkative, sociable, affectionate, fun-loving
With each is a cluster of other traits

9. Personality Assessments
Personal interviews
Direct observation
Objective tests
16 Personality Factor Questionnaire
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
Projective tests
Rorschach inkblot technique