1. Trait Approaches to Personality11

2. Lecture contents From cardinal to basic traits
Issue 1: What and where are traits?
Issue 2: What use are traits?

3. Traits: The gist
Personal (‘internal’) rather than situational (‘external’)
Stable rather than transitory (across time)
Consistent rather than inconsistent (across ‘similar’ situations)
General rather than specific (across ‘different’ situations)
Universal dimensions: Individual differences (across people)

4. Manifest, latent, or manifest because latent?
Potential vs. actual
Internal vs. interactive
Explanation vs. description
Behaviours vs. motives, affects, cognitions

5. An early definition
“generalized and personalized determining tendencies - consistent and stable modes of an individual’s adjustment to his environment”
Allport & Odbert (1936, p. 26)

6. Behavioural traits and individual differences from
Situational preferences
Cognitive styles
Expressive styles

7. Traits and individual differences attenuated by
Strong situational constraints
Trait combinations
Trait conflicts
Other traits
Motives
Temporary moods
Roles

8. Allport’s non-common traits
Cardinal traits
Single defining traits that characterise some, but not all, individuals.
Central traits
Typically 5-10 traits: “those usually mentioned in careful letters of recommendation … or in brief verbal descriptions of a person” (Allport, 1937).
Secondary traits
Like central traits but more specific to particular stimuli or particular responses.

9. Cattell’s 16 PF (5th Edition)
A. Warmth Reserved Warm
B. Reasoning Low High
C. Emotional stability Reactive Calm
E. Dominance Deferential Assertive
F. Liveliness Quiet Energetic
G. Rule consciousness Expedient Dutiful
H. Social boldness Shy Socially bold
I. Sensitivity Logical Sensitive
L. Vigilance Trusting Vigilant
M. Abstractness Practical Contemplative
N. Privateness Forthright Private
O. Apprehension Self-assured Apprehensive
Q1. Openness to change Traditional Free thinking
Q2. Self-reliance Affiliative Independent
Q3. Perfectionism Unexacting Perfectionist
Q4. Tension Relaxed Tense

12. Have I read you right?
You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. Disciplined and self-controlled on the outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You also pride yourself as an independent thinker; and do not accept others' statements without satisfactory proof. But you have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, affable, and sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be rather unrealistic.

13. The 16PF5 (Global Factors)
Tough-Mindedness/Receptivity
Low Self-Control/High Self-Control
Introversion/Extraversion
Independence/Accommodation
Low Anxiety/High Anxiety

14. Hans J. Eysenck’s ‘Big Two’

15. Eysenck’s Extraversion
Sociable
Lively
Active
Assertive
Carefree
Dominant
Surgent
Venturesome
Sensation-seeking

16. Eysenck’s Neutroticism
Neuroticism
Anxious
Depressed
Tense
Irrational
Shy
Moody
Emotional
Low self-esteem
Guilt-
feelings

17. For fun only
Answer the following questions using a scale of 1 (not at all) to 5 (very much)
1. Do you stop to think things over before doing anything?                                                  
2.  Would being in debt worry you?
3.  Do you lock up your house carefully at night?
4.  Would it upset you a lot to see a child or animal suffer?
5.  Do you believe insurance plans are a good idea?
Add the scores together.

18. Eysenck’s PEN model

19. Eysenck’s Psychoticism
Aggressive
Cold
Egocentric
Impersonal
Impulsive
Unempathic
Creative
Anti-social
Tough-
minded

20. (P)EN Evaluation E & N result from almost all factor analyses
Measures (e.g., EPQ-R) are generally accepted as psychometrically impressive
Each factor score correlates with different biological stuff
Genetic contributions to E and N scores
Systemmatic mean differences across highs and lows, e.g., Introverts vs. Extraverts
I want to know more about:
predictive/criterion validity
comprehensiveness
Utility generally

21. Fundamental Lexical Hypothesis
The ‘Big Five’
“the most important individual differences in human transactions will come to be encoded as single terms in some or all of the world’s languages”
(Goldberg, 1990, p. 1216)
Single-trait words reveal factors I-V in US, UK, Japan, China, etc

22. The Five-Factor Model (FFM)
Costa & McCrae (1992)
Openness (Curious and unconventional)
Conscientiousness (Ordered and persistent)
Extraversion (Exuberant and sociable)
Agreeableness (Caring and considerate)
Neuroticism (Emotional and anxious)

23. FFM: Openness to experience
Fantasy
Aesthetics
Feelings
Ideas
Actions
Values

24. FFM: Conscientiousness
Dutifulness
Competence
Order
Deliberation
Self
Discipline
Achievement Striving

25. FFM: Extraversion Extraversion
Gregariousness
Activity level
Assertiveness
Warmth
Excitement Seeking
Positive Emotions

26. Straight-forwardness
FFM: Agreeableness
Agreeableness
Trust
Altruism
Modesty
Compliance
Straight-forwardness
Tender-mindedness

27. FFM: Neuroticism Neuroticism
Anxiety
Depression
Vulnerability
Impulsiveness
Self-consciousness
Angry
Hostility

28. ‘Consensus’ on 5 ‘basic’ traits
16PF5 Big 5 FFM
Tough-Mindedness/Receptivity   Intellect    Openness
Low Self-Control/High Self-Control Conscientiousness Conscientiousness
Introversion/Extraversion    Surgency    Extraversion
Independence/Accommodation Agreeableness    Agreeableness
Low Anxiety/High Anxiety    Emotional Stability Neuroticism
Remember the two crucial skills of factor analysis:
Factor labeling
Input variable selection

29. FFM Evidence Cross cultural replication Self-other correlations
using translation
Using lexical method
Self-other correlations
Biological
Genetic inheritance
Evolutionarily consistent
Cross species
Neurological
Diagnosis
Prediction

30. What is being claimed?
The claim that the FFM is comprehensive does not mean that it exhaustively measures individual differences in personality, any more than a comprehensive examination asks every single question a student should be able to answer on a topic. What the model hypothesizes is that almost every personality trait is substantially related to one or more of the five factors, and that any remaining traits…form a miscellaneous category rather than covarying to define a sixth or subsequent factor.
Costa & McCrae (1995, p. 218, f. 1)

31. Evaluation Description more than explanation. Conceptual fuzziness.
Little prediction or control.
Person-situation controversy continues.
However, the Five Factor approach does seem well grounded and the best trait taxonomy currently available.