Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Gordon Allport was an American psychologist who was one of the first to focus on the study of human personality and is often referred to as one of the founding figures of personality psychology.
Related terms
Functional Autonomy: A term coined by Allport suggesting that some behaviors continue even when their original motives are no longer relevant.
Proprium: Another term from Allport referring to all aspects of a person that make for selfhood or contribute towards one's perception of oneself.
Motive vs Value Dichotomy: A concept introduced by Allport highlighting how motives can be unconscious but values always involve conscious knowledge.