Theory of personality

Module 1 Theory of Traits

PSYCH 321 Theories of Personality

Objectives At the end of the module, the student will be able to:

Classify the trait-based personality theories within the nomothetic and ideographic approaches.

Develop critical criteria to define the term personality.

Evaluate the application of the theory of traits in current psychology.

o Personality theories differ from each other when they try to define the concept of personality.

Nomothetic Approach in Comparison with Idiographic Approach

Nomothetic Approach Idiographic Approach Constructivist Approach

In the nomothetic approach, it is described as a specific number of traits common to all people.

In the idiographic approach, on the contrary, unique characteristics and qualities are identified in individuals.

In others, like the constructivist approach, personality is built depending on social interactions.

 The importance of the differences between the theories is that a conciliatory definition of personality can be established, which would be: the relatively stable and enduring aspects of human beings that distinguishes them and makes them unique but, in unison, allows a comparison between individuals.

 These theoretical definitions are important because they allow measurement and provide varied information that permits a broad personal judgment to be established on the personality construct without necessarily having to stuff it into a perceptual straitjacket.

Definition of Personality and the Importance in Psychology

 The psychometric approach to the study of personality compares individuals in terms of traits or dimensions common to everyone and therefore takes a nomothetic approach. Among them are Eysenck and Cattell. They make much use of personality questionnaires.

 On the contrary, Allport and Kelly underline the unique characteristics of each person, adopting the idiographic approach.

 Freud's and Jung’s psychodynamic theories are idiographic because they study patients within their individuality and emphasize the importance of childhood experiences to explain individual differences in personality development.

 Likewise, Allport, Kelly, and the theories proposed by humanist psychologists such as Maslow and Roger.

 Psychologist Raymond Cattel found 200 traits that tended to accumulate in groups. Because of this, a determined or persevering person will likely be considered responsible, orderly, stable, and probably will not be described as frivolous, careless, or inconsistent.

 Other theorists believe that Cattel had used too many traits to describe personality. Among them is Eysenck.

Cattle and Eysenck Trait Theory of Personality (Nomothetic Approach)

 The psychologist Hans Eysenck identified patterns of traits with factor analysis and concluded that the\ personality is best understood only in terms of three dimensions: basic: emotional stability, introversion-extraversion, and psychoticism.

 According to Eysenck, emotional stability refers to how well a person controls their emotions; introversion-extraversion refers to the degree to which a person is oriented inward or outward; and psychoticism describes people characterized by insensitivity and lack of cooperation but also demonstrates warmth, tenderness, and kindness.

Eysenck Traits Theory of Personality

Eysenck Introverts and Extroverts

Introverts Extroverts Quiet and reserved Sociable, likes parties

Distant, except with friends

Needs to have conversations

Plan with anticipation,not by impulse

Act at the moment, and usually is impulsive

Not aggressive Could be aggressive

Ethics are important Not always is trustworthy

 There is a growing consensus that the "Big Five" traits can describe personality.

 Every individual personality falls somewhere on the spectrum of those five factors, known by the acronym OCEAN.

Eysenck and Cattell “Big Five”

Personality Traits

“Big Five” Personality Traits Low Score Traits High Score

Practical, conventional, prefers routines

O Openness (openness to imagination, feelings, actions, ideas).

Curious, wide range of interests, independent

Impulsive, careless disorganized

C Conscientiousness (Competence, self- discipline, thoughtfulness, goal driven).

Hardworking, dependable, organized

Quiet, reserved, withdrawn E Extroversion (Sociability, assertiveness, emotional expression).

Outgoing, warm, seeks adventure

Critical, uncooperative, suspicious

A Agreeableness (Cooperative, trustworthy, good-natured).

Helpful, trustworthy, empathetic

Calm, even-tempered, secured

N Neuroticism (Tendency toward unstable emotions).

Anxious, unhappy, prone to negative emotions

 According to Allport, each individual is unique. He defines personality as a dynamic organization of unique and shared traits.

1. Individual traits- a set of personal aptitudes based on people's unique experiences (idiographic approach). Those individual traits can take three forms:

A. Cardinal traits are strong, pervasive traits that often govern an individual's behavior. For example, greed, ambition, and lust. According to Allport, these traits are rare and usually develop over the years.

B. Central Traits are general characteristics that form the basic aspects of personality. They are less strong and dominant than cardinals. Each person could have between 5 and 10 core traits. These include Shy, Smart, and Honest.

C. Secondary Traits are less consistent, have less influence than the central traits, and refer to tastes, preferences, political and religious beliefs, and particular situational reactions.

Allport’s Trait Theory (Idiographic Approach)

 Traits make it easier to compare one person with another. Approaches to personality derived from trait theory significantly influence the development of some personality assessments.

 Trait theory models offer a clear and simple explanation of the behavioral consistency of individuals.

Trait Theory of Personality Importance

 The definition of Trait Theory of Personality, especially in nomothetic approaches, focuses on stability and permanence, which can mean that a person's behavior is consistent over time and in different situations.

 Mischel (1968), a social learning theorist, established a controversy over consistency and gave more importance to the situation than to the behavioral determinism offered by traits. Some critics even state that traits do not explain behavior; they only describe it (Larsen and Buss, 2006).

 Personality Tests based in Trait Theory of Personality (application): 1. Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI,1959)

2. Eysenck Personality Inventory (PPI) .

3. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

Trait Theory of Personality Evaluation and Application

References Course Hero. (2019, March 15). Personality traits | psychology. [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77BLThZjkR0

Feldman, R. S. (2021). Understanding psychology (15th Edition). McGraw-Hill.

Little, B. (2017). Who are you, really? The puzzle of personality [Video]. TED Ideas Worth

Spreading.

https://www.ted.com/talks/brian_little_who_are_you_really_the_puzzle_of_personality

McLeod, S. A. (2019, February 5). Nomothetic idiographic debate. Simply Psychology.

www.simplypsychology.org/nomothetic-idiographic.html

Review as many times as required the information contained in the module folder (includes this presentation).

Read the reference material to clarify any questions.

Carry out all the activities according to the instructions.

Submit assignments on the indicated date through the educational platform.

Congratulations you have reviewed the theoretical summary of this week's topic!

Actively participate in collaborative sessions.

Remember that to successfully build your learning it is important that:

Module 1 Theory of Traits

PSYCH 321 Theories of Personality

Objectives At the end of the module, the student will be able to:

Classify the trait-based personality theories within the nomothetic and ideographic approaches.

Develop critical criteria to define the term personality.

Evaluate the application of the theory of traits in current psychology.

o Personality theories differ from each other when they try to define the concept of personality.

Nomothetic Approach in Comparison with Idiographic Approach

Nomothetic Approach Idiographic Approach Constructivist Approach

In the nomothetic approach, it is described as a specific number of traits common to all people.

In the idiographic approach, on the contrary, unique characteristics and qualities are identified in individuals.

In others, like the constructivist approach, personality is built depending on social interactions.

 The importance of the differences between the theories is that a conciliatory definition of personality can be established, which would be: the relatively stable and enduring aspects of human beings that distinguishes them and makes them unique but, in unison, allows a comparison between individuals.

 These theoretical definitions are important because they allow measurement and provide varied information that permits a broad personal judgment to be established on the personality construct without necessarily having to stuff it into a perceptual straitjacket.

Definition of Personality and the Importance in Psychology

 The psychometric approach to the study of personality compares individuals in terms of traits or dimensions common to everyone and therefore takes a nomothetic approach. Among them are Eysenck and Cattell. They make much use of personality questionnaires.

 On the contrary, Allport and Kelly underline the unique characteristics of each person, adopting the idiographic approach.

 Freud's and Jung’s psychodynamic theories are idiographic because they study patients within their individuality and emphasize the importance of childhood experiences to explain individual differences in personality development.

 Likewise, Allport, Kelly, and the theories proposed by humanist psychologists such as Maslow and Roger.

 Psychologist Raymond Cattel found 200 traits that tended to accumulate in groups. Because of this, a determined or persevering person will likely be considered responsible, orderly, stable, and probably will not be described as frivolous, careless, or inconsistent.

 Other theorists believe that Cattel had used too many traits to describe personality. Among them is Eysenck.

Cattle and Eysenck Trait Theory of Personality (Nomothetic Approach)

 The psychologist Hans Eysenck identified patterns of traits with factor analysis and concluded that the\ personality is best understood only in terms of three dimensions: basic: emotional stability, introversion-extraversion, and psychoticism.

 According to Eysenck, emotional stability refers to how well a person controls their emotions; introversion-extraversion refers to the degree to which a person is oriented inward or outward; and psychoticism describes people characterized by insensitivity and lack of cooperation but also demonstrates warmth, tenderness, and kindness.

Eysenck Traits Theory of Personality

Eysenck Introverts and Extroverts

Introverts Extroverts Quiet and reserved Sociable, likes parties

Distant, except with friends

Needs to have conversations

Plan with anticipation,not by impulse

Act at the moment, and usually is impulsive

Not aggressive Could be aggressive

Ethics are important Not always is trustworthy

 There is a growing consensus that the "Big Five" traits can describe personality.

 Every individual personality falls somewhere on the spectrum of those five factors, known by the acronym OCEAN.

Eysenck and Cattell “Big Five”

Personality Traits

“Big Five” Personality Traits Low Score Traits High Score

Practical, conventional, prefers routines

O Openness (openness to imagination, feelings, actions, ideas).

Curious, wide range of interests, independent

Impulsive, careless disorganized

C Conscientiousness (Competence, self- discipline, thoughtfulness, goal driven).

Hardworking, dependable, organized

Quiet, reserved, withdrawn E Extroversion (Sociability, assertiveness, emotional expression).

Outgoing, warm, seeks adventure

Critical, uncooperative, suspicious

A Agreeableness (Cooperative, trustworthy, good-natured).

Helpful, trustworthy, empathetic

Calm, even-tempered, secured

N Neuroticism (Tendency toward unstable emotions).

Anxious, unhappy, prone to negative emotions

 According to Allport, each individual is unique. He defines personality as a dynamic organization of unique and shared traits.

1. Individual traits- a set of personal aptitudes based on people's unique experiences (idiographic approach). Those individual traits can take three forms:

A. Cardinal traits are strong, pervasive traits that often govern an individual's behavior. For example, greed, ambition, and lust. According to Allport, these traits are rare and usually develop over the years.

B. Central Traits are general characteristics that form the basic aspects of personality. They are less strong and dominant than cardinals. Each person could have between 5 and 10 core traits. These include Shy, Smart, and Honest.

C. Secondary Traits are less consistent, have less influence than the central traits, and refer to tastes, preferences, political and religious beliefs, and particular situational reactions.

Allport’s Trait Theory (Idiographic Approach)

 Traits make it easier to compare one person with another. Approaches to personality derived from trait theory significantly influence the development of some personality assessments.

 Trait theory models offer a clear and simple explanation of the behavioral consistency of individuals.

Trait Theory of Personality Importance

 The definition of Trait Theory of Personality, especially in nomothetic approaches, focuses on stability and permanence, which can mean that a person's behavior is consistent over time and in different situations.

 Mischel (1968), a social learning theorist, established a controversy over consistency and gave more importance to the situation than to the behavioral determinism offered by traits. Some critics even state that traits do not explain behavior; they only describe it (Larsen and Buss, 2006).

 Personality Tests based in Trait Theory of Personality (application): 1. Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI,1959)

2. Eysenck Personality Inventory (PPI) .

3. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

Trait Theory of Personality Evaluation and Application

References Course Hero. (2019, March 15). Personality traits | psychology. [Video]. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77BLThZjkR0

Feldman, R. S. (2021). Understanding psychology (15th Edition). McGraw-Hill.

Little, B. (2017). Who are you, really? The puzzle of personality [Video]. TED Ideas Worth

Spreading.

https://www.ted.com/talks/brian_little_who_are_you_really_the_puzzle_of_personality

McLeod, S. A. (2019, February 5). Nomothetic idiographic debate. Simply Psychology.

www.simplypsychology.org/nomothetic-idiographic.html

Review as many times as required the information contained in the module folder (includes this presentation).

Read the reference material to clarify any questions.

Carry out all the activities according to the instructions.

Submit assignments on the indicated date through the educational platform.

Congratulations you have reviewed the theoretical summary of this week's topic!

Actively participate in collaborative sessions.

Remember that to successfully build your learning it is important that: