Trait Theory
Definition
Trait theory suggests that personality is made up of broad traits or dispositions that tend to lead to characteristic responses - meaning people act in certain ways based on these traits.
Analogy
Think of trait theory like a recipe for a cake. Each ingredient represents a different trait, and the combination of all these ingredients (traits) makes up the unique flavor (personality) of each cake (individual).
Related terms
Big Five Personality Traits: These are five broad dimensions used by some psychologists to describe human personality. They include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
Personality Inventory: This is a type of questionnaire designed to reveal the respondent's character or psychological makeup.
Factor Analysis: A statistical method used to describe variability among observed variables in terms of fewer unobserved variables called factors. In psychology, it's often used in developing tests and identifying clusters of behaviors.
"Trait Theory" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (15)
Who developed the trait theory of personality?
What distinguishes trait theory from psychodynamic theories in explaining personality?
Which trait theory focuses primarily on describing individual differences in behavior?
Whose trait theory suggests that personality is largely influenced by genetics and can be described using three broad traits: extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism?
Which trait theory of personality suggests that human traits can be broken down into five factors known as the "Big Five"?
Which trait theory of personality is most closely associated with the Five Factor Model?
Which trait theory of personality focuses on identifying and measuring individual personality characteristics?
Which psychologist is known for formulating the trait theory that includes extraversion and neuroticism?
Which trait theory proposes five broad dimensions as components of personality?
Which trait theory of personality most directly emphasizes the importance of unconscious internal conflict in shaping personality traits?
What is a potential ethical conflict with diagnosing someone using trait theory without their knowledge or consent?
How would a sociologist studying social structures potentially explain the development of personality traits according to trait theory?
Which counterargument to trait theory argues that human personality cannot be simplified into a list of traits?
Which trait theory would most effectively guide the psychological intervention plan for a patient exhibiting high levels of neuroticism?
Which trait theory would aid in developing an intervention for a client struggling with organizational skills and attentiveness?
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