Trait Theories of Personality

Trait Theories of Personality in Psychology

As we get started talking about trait theories, it is important to make sure we define traits.

It is important to note that traits are not based on behaviors you do once or a few times; instead, they are consistent patterns of behavior and personality across a person's life and multiple settings.

Trait theories within psychology are one way of understanding and describing personality. Trait theories focus on the idea that all humans possess various sets and levels of personality and behavioral traits. Trait theories help us communicate aspects of ourselves to others and better understand others. While it can be hard to imagine that all people possess similar traits, remember that we all possess our own unique combinations and different levels of traits.

Gordon Allport's Trait Theory of Personality

Gordon Allport's role in the trait theory of personality was monumental and is what earned him the title of "the father of personality" in the 1930s. He identified 18,000 terms that can be used to describe personality and worked from there to develop what he referred to as the fundamental categories of personality traits. The structure of personality according to Allport can be broken up into the following three parts:

• Definition of personality

• Personality traits

• Proprium

Fundamental Categories of Personality Traits

Let's take a look at the fundamental categories of personality traits, as outlined by Allport.

Cardinal Traits

A cardinal trait according to Allport is a trait that steers a person's life almost like a sail on a boat. If someone has the cardinal trait of kindness they might spend their life working on projects to help others. If someone has a cardinal trait of control, they might find themselves in a political or corporate power position.

Central Traits

Not everyone has a cardinal trait. In fact, according to Allport, most people have around 5-10 central traits instead. Central traits grouped together describe a person's core personality. Someone might be extroverted, friendly, inviting, warm, etc. All of these central traits paint a picture of who they are as a person.

Secondary Traits

Secondary traits in Allport's theory are traits that impact someone's behavior but are not necessarily as important or influential as cardinal or central traits. Taste in music or a general love of animals are examples of secondary traits. They add to the uniqueness and depth of a person, but they are not as defining as central traits.

Proprium

The third part of the personality structure according to Allport is proprium.

Proprium involves each of the following concepts that form our central sense of self.

Fg. 2 Central personality traits, Freepik.com

Raymond Cattell's Trait Theory of Personality

Years later, another personality psychologist named Raymond Cattell developed what is called the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF). The 16PF is a test that measures personality based on levels and combinations of the sixteen pairs of personality traits. Cattell identified these sixteen traits using a research technique known as factor analysis.

The Big Five Factors of Personality Trait Theory

Since Eysenck's move towards major scales of personality traits, one theory has taken over in the last two decades. It is called The Big Five trait theory of personality. This theory of personality traits took Eysenck's work and expanded on it. The Big Five is a very useful tool in understanding personality traits and has massive success in use globally across cultures.

The Big Five personality factors are:

1. Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness is measured on a spectrum from disorganization, carelessness, and impulsivity to organization, carefulness, and discipline.

2. Agreeableness

Agreeableness is measured on a spectrum from uncooperative, suspicious, and mean to sweet, trusting, and helpful.

3. Neuroticism

Neuroticism is measured on a spectrum from calm, self-secure, and content to anxious, insecure, and emotionally unstable.

4. Openness

Openness is measured on a spectrum from predictable, logic-based, and conforming to imaginative, independent, and spontaneous.

5. Extraversion

Extraversion is measured on a spectrum from reserved, introspective, and enjoying personal space to social, outgoing, and outwardly affectionate.

Fg. 3 Extrovert vs introvert, Freepik.com

The Pros and Cons of Trait Theories of Personality

Trait theories are a great way of understanding individual personalities as well as personality differences. Even though they are helpful, trait theories are not perfect.

Pros of Trait Theories

• Trait theories, especially the Big Five, are stable across a person's life. While many people experience some age-appropriate shifts in conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extroversion during their lives, traits are generally stable throughout life.
• Researchers have found that personality traits in the Big Five are 50% or more likely to be hereditary, and this was found to be true across cultures and nationalities.
• Personality traits like those in The Big Five can be used to predict behavior with some accuracy. Introverted people are more likely to e-mail rather than call. Higher levels of conscientiousness lead to better grades or work performance.
• Trait theories form the basis of many personality measurement tools that help us research personality to better understand and relate to one another.

Cons of Trait Theories

• One common critique is that trait theory does not explain the origin of personality or how personality traits are developed. Traits are simply a way to identify and label traits that are present in a personality, but it does not seek to answer why or how personality exists.
• Not all trait theories agree on what are the most fundamental personality traits and which are the most accurate.
• Another common drawback to trait theories is what is known as the person-situation controversy. The person-situation controversy is essentially the idea that we do not always act the same in all settings and with all people. We change our behaviors based on the setting and exemplify different traits based on our role or our environment.

When are we the most ourselves? Are there truly traits that remain stable across our lives if we are constantly adapting to different situations? While those who defend the usefulness of trait theories ask us to examine behavior and traits across time and settings, trait theories do not explain inconsistencies in behavior from one setting to another.