Trait Theory

Themeasurementofconsistent patternsof habit in

anindividuals behavior, thoughts, and emotions.
Thetheoryis based on thestabilityoftraitsover
time, how they differ from other individuals, and how
they willinfluencehuman behavior.
Trait theories state that human beings possess wide
varieties of characteristics or traits that are
constant over time, not everyone will share the same
characteristics or traits; but, all of us will share from
the same pool of characteristics that make up the
psyche of all humans. The different combination of
traits found in each of us are what makes us unique.
Trait theories are therefore, primarily concerned
with the differences in people with regards to their
own set of personality traits.

Trait Theory Summary

Gordon Willard Allport

Father of Personality Theories

Biography
He was born on November 11, 1897 in Montezuma,

Indiana, USA
His father was a physician while his mother was a
teacher
The youngest child of 4 brothers
He married a clinical psychologist

He was the 1st psychologist who gave thorough

thought to the concept of traits. He developed
his own trait theory and he continued to view the
traits as the most appropriate way of describing
and studying personality. He is, by many, actually
considered to be the first psychologist dealing
with personality at all and was the first to offer a
class in this field at Harvard University in 1924.
Throughout his life, Allport continued to develop
and work with his trait theory and he inspired
many other psychologist who also adopted thi
approach to personality or developed their own
trait theory.

Education
He ranked 2nd in a class of

100 high school

graduating students.
His interest in social ethics and social service
acquired from his parents was reinforced at
Harvard, where he undertook volunteer work for
the boys club.
He received his MA in 1921 & his Ph.D. in
psychology in 1922 from Harvard University.
His dissertation was An Experimental Study of
the Traits of Personality.

Achievements
He was elected as a president of the American
Psychological Association & received many awards
including the American Psychological Foundation
Gold Medal & the American Psychological
Association award for distinguished scientific
contribution.

 He was the first personality theorist to study the

psychological healthy individual. This reflects one

of his major propositions that mirror his own
childhood experiences and his later theory.
Out of boyhood conditions, isolation &rejections,
he compensated by trying to excel. As Gordon
matured, he began to identify himself, out of envy
of his older brother Floyd, by choosing the same
course & obtaining a Ph.D. as his brother did.
He taught at Harvard University until his death
on October 9, 1967.

View of Human Nature

Allports theory is known as the trait theory
because he emphasized the nature & evolution of
personality traits. His theory is also called the
Psychology of Individuals because it emphasizes a
persons uniqueness.
Allport was certain that motivation is always a
contemporary process. An individuals current selfimage is far more important than whatever he/she has
been in the past. No central motive, even for abnormal
personalities, is ever totally independent of the
contemporary ego structure. The withdrawn catatonic will
speak, upon recovery, of events he/she attempted but
ultimately failed to respond to, during the deepest state of
their catatonic condition.

Allport viewed psychology as the study of the

healthy person. Another basic approach he
takes, is that of the individual human as
unique. Each person is different from the
other and should therefore be studied
accordingly. Individual can still be compared
but Allports understanding of psychology goes
beyond just comparison. He emphasizes this
individuality in virtually all aspects of his
psychology, another contrast to the view of
the psychoanalysts as well as other
psychologists, who put emphasis on similarities
within people..

Another radical view of Allport is one

regarding the dynamics within the
individual. He referred to this as
functional Autonomy. This aspect of his
psychology is probably where Allport
differs most from other psychologists
of his time, especially psycho-analysts
like Freud and Jung but also
behaviourists like skinner. Allport
believes
that
motivation
occurs
independent of past experiences, it is
the present motives such as interests,
attitudes and life style that govern a
persons behavior.

Psychology of Individual

Structure of Personality

Allport originally used the word traits, but found

that so many people assumed he meant traits as
perceived by someone looking at another person
or measured by personality tests, rather than as
unique, individual characteristics within a person,
that he changed it to dispositions.

Personal Disposition
1. Cardinal Disposition- traits that dominates the

personality, influencing almost everything a

person does.
2. Central
Disposition- characteristics which
typifies a person behavior.
3. Secondary Disposition- responses to particular
stimuli which may occur on rare occasions.

8 Criteria of Traits
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Have more than nominal existence.

Are more generalized than a habit.
Are dynamic, or at least determinative.
May be established empirically or statistically.
Are only relatively independent of each other.
Are not the same as the moral quality.
Acts & habits inconsistent with a trait are not
proof of the non-existence of the trait.
Are present within the personality that contains
it or within a population at large.

Elements in Trait that can be

used as accurate and meaningful
units of study for personality
1. Traits have the capacity to
motivate,
inhibit,
or
select
appropriate human behavior.
2. Mutually interdependent traits
are the elements in behavior.
3. Traits
help
explain
the
consistencies that we find in
personality.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Traits are not directly observable

but not be inferred.
A traits begins with neuropsychic
system.
There are individual and common
traits.
A trait is a combination of two or
more habit.
Traits may drive as well as direct.
Traits have a strong connotation of
contemporaneity or a state of
being and newness of things.

Allport
used
the
Idiographic and the
Nomothenic approaches
in studying personality.

Idiograph method- is the

intensive study of a simple

case. It emphasizes the
uniqueness of the individual.
Nomothenic method- study a
group of individuals and
analyzes them.

Allport attempted to blend

nomothetic
and
idiographic
perspectives: he called this
blend the morphogenic approach.

Criteria of a
Mature Personality

1. Self-extension- has diverse interests

2. Warm human interaction- respects

and appreciates the rights of others.
3. Self-acceptance
or
emotional
securityaccepts
frustrating
situations and has an optimistic point
of view.

4. Realistic
perception- looks at
situation in an objective manner and
solves the practical problems of
everyday living.

5. Self-objectification- has insight

or awareness of ones strengths
and weaknesses, and has a good
sense of humor.
6. Unifying principle of life- has a
sense of purpose, belief, or goal in
life.

Possible units of the study of

personality
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Intellectual Capacity
Syndromes or Temperament
Unconscious Motives
Social Attitudes
Ideational Schemata
Expressive Traits
Stylistic Traits
Pathological trends
Factorial clusters

Character and attitudes may also be used as units

of study, but these present some complications.
Character involves the judgment of moral rights
and wrong. Attitudes, or a disposition to an object
or toward an object of value, involves an
emotional response from a very narrow range of
stimuli towards an object of value. Attitude can
be evaluated, but a trait cannot be evaluated
because it naturally exists within the individual.
Thus, attitude is difficult to work with as a unit
of measurement.

Functional Autonomy
Functional autonomy represents the
present go of interest and
tendencies that initiates and
sustains current behavior. It means
a strong inclination for a motive
system to develop independently of
the primary drive originated in an
action.

2 types of Functional Autonomy

1. Preservative functional autonomy- a closed or

almost closes system which continues primarily

under its own power with little or no outside
reinforcement.
2. Propionate functional autonomy- an open
system which presupposes that the individual is
constantly bombarded with stimuli.

Right processes that are not

functionally autonomous
1. Biological drives
2. Reflex Action

3. Constitutional Equipment
4. Habits

5. Primary reinforcement

6. Infantilism and fixation

7. Some neurosis
8. Sublimation

2 Methods in which Functional

Autonomy can be created in
the personality pattern:
1. Quasi-mechanical
2. Propitiate

Personality Development

Stages of the Proprium

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Bodily Sense- awareness of bodily sensations and

physiological systems.
Self-identity -awareness of Who am I and
relationship with others.
Self-esteem-s exploration of his/her world
Extension of self- concerned with the importance of
possesions
Self-image- awareness of social expectation
Self as rational coper- ability to find various
solutions to problems.
Propriate striving- focuses on life goals and
intentions.