Inherited personality dispositions that are apparent in early childhood and that est. the tempo and mood of the individual s behavior.

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2 Temperament Inherited personality dispositions that are apparent in early childhood and that est. the tempo and mood of the individual s behavior. Single, dominant theme such as shyness or moodiness, that characterize a person s personality. Biological Dispositions do affect our basic personality. Examples: Gage and knowledge of neurotransmitters.

3 Trait Theories Traits: relatively enduring personal characteristics. Traits are permanent! Examples of traits: shyness, sociable, kind, and serious. Focus of their studies: how people differ in their traits, measuring traits, and how traits are organized.

4 Gordon Allport ( ) Divided traits into three major categories. 1. Cardinal traits: extremely strong personality characteristics, affect our daily life in many ways. Dominant traits. Very few people have this type of trait. Ex. Hitler s cardinal traits of power and control

5 Allport 2. Central traits: the basic building blocks of personality that influence behavior across situations. Most people have FIVE to TEN central traits.

6 Allport 3. Secondary traits: specific traits that influence behavior in relatively few situations. Weak personality traits. Shows up once in a while.

7 Allport Cardinal Central Secondary

8 Traits list Aggressive Sociable Reliable Dominant Humble Cheerful Confident Orderly Emotional Organized Loyal Kind Dull Honest Compulsive Serious Anxious Curious Ambitious Generous Cautious Talented Funny Conforming Optimistic

9 Raymond Cattell ( ) Advance the use of statistics in personality research! Two basic levels of traits: 1. Surface traits: lie on the surface of personality. Traits that can be easily observed by others. Examples: stubbornness, emotionality, and carelessness.

10 Cattell 2. Source traits: traits at a deep level of personality that are not apparent in observed behavior but must be inferred based on underlying relationships among surface traits.

11 Cattell Constructed a personality scale to measure sixteen source traits, which he called the SIXTEEN PERSONALITY FACTOR QUESTIONNAIRE, OR 16PF.

12 The Big Five Trait Model Most widely adopted trait theory today. Used by the dating web site eharmony.com Traits found in numerous cultures Genetic component Five basic traits

13 Where does your personality rate on the Big Five scale?

14 The Big Five 1. Introverted extroverted Solitary, shy, serious, and reserved vs. outgoing, friendly, enthusiastic, fun-loving

15 The Big Five 2. neurotic emotionally stable Prone to anxiety, worry, guilt, emotional instability vs. relaxed, calm, secure, and emotionally stable.

16 The Big Five 3. Agreeable stubborn Sensitive, warm, tolerant, easy to get along with, concerned with other s feelings and needs vs. cold, suspicious, hostile, callous., my way or the highway thinking.

17 The Big Five 4. conscientious undependable Reliable, responsible, self-discipline, ethical, hard-working, ambitious vs. disorganized, unreliable, impulsive, careless, tends to be late.

18 The Big Five 5.open to experience prefer the familiar. Imaginative, curious, intellectual, open to nontraditional perspectives vs. conforming, practical, conventional, and prefers the status quo.

19 Acronym used to remember the 5 Openness to experience Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism OCEAN

20 Evaluate Trait Theories Criticisms: 1. snapshot of personality fixed and static 2. Oversimplify our complex natures 3. Attaches a label to behavior rather than explaining it. 4. Ignores the situation, cognition, and learning.

21 Evaluate Trait Theories Positives: 1. Led to the development of Personality tests. 2. Give us some ability to predict behavior in common situations, i.e., work settings. Companies use trait theories Personality tests in their hiring practices.

22 Read pgs Dr. Walter Mischel (cognitive theorist) conducted a study that dropped a scientific bombshell on the trait theorists. Person-Situation Controversy