Using Personality Traits to Understand Behavior

For Personality Puzzle 4th edition Ch. 7

Personality Psychology Spring 2009

Approaches to Understanding
Single-trait approach Many-trait approach Essential-trait approach Typological approach

The Single-Trait Approach

Authoritarianism California F scale
Conventionalism Authoritarian submission Authoritarian aggression Anti-intraception Superstition and stereotypy Power and toughness Destructiveness and cynicism Projectivity Sexual repression

Work and Social Behavior

Conscientiousness
Integrity at work (e.g., low absenteeism, honesty) Job performance (i.e., quality and quantity of work) Success in college (better than SAT & HS GPA) Purchase and maintenance of proper insurance (even when they are at relatively low risk) Longer life expectancy (they take care of themselves)

Work and Social Behavior

Self-monitoring
Other directness Extraversion Acting ability

The Many-Trait Approach

California Q-set (Block, 1961; 1978)
100 personality descriptions Sorted into forced choice, symmetrical, and normal distribution Allow one hour to complete Limited to use with those who understand the instructions

Q-Sort Step #1
To begin, read each Q-Set card and sort the cards into three broad categories (keep in mind you can switch cards around later if you need to).

Uncharacteristic

Neutral

Characteristic

Before moving on: Have you placed all of the cards into the three piles illustrated above?

Q-Sort Step #2
Take the cards that are in the three broad categories, re-read the cards, and then re-sort each pile into more refined categories (those in blue). Begin with the characteristic pile (keep in mind you can switch cards around later if you need to).

Uncharacteristic

Neutral

Characteristic

Re-sort this pile first

Less Characteristic More Characteristic

Before moving on: Have you re-read and re-sorted all of the characteristic cards into two more refined piles?

Q-Sort Step #3
Next, re-sort the uncharacteristic pile (keep in mind you can switch cards around later if you need to).

Uncharacteristic

Neutral

Characteristic

Re-sort this pile next

More Uncharacteristic Less Uncharacteristic Less Characteristic More Characteristic

Before moving on: Have you re-read and re-sorted all of the uncharacteristic cards into two more refined piles?

Q-Sort Step #4
Next re-sort the neutral pile (keep in mind you can switch cards around now or later if you need to).

Uncharacteristic

Neutral

Characteristic

More Uncharacteristic

Less Neutral, but maybe Neutral, but maybe Uncharacteristic more uncharacteristic more Characteristic

Less Characteristic

More Characteristic

Re-sort this pile last Before moving on: Have you re-read and re-sorted all of the neutral cards into two more refined piles?

Uncharacteristic

Neutral

Characteristic

The Many-Trait Approach

California Q-set
Delay of gratification
Gender differences Ego control (under/over) Ego resiliency The nature of delay Drug abuse Depression Political orientation Adolescent identity development

Other behaviors

The Essential-Trait Approach

Reducing the Many to a Few
The Lexical Hypothesis The Five-Factor Model (Big 5)
Orthogonal Cross-cultural consistency Critiques

The Essential-Trait Approach

The FiveFive-Factor Model (Big 5)
Tense, anxious, nervous, moody, worrying, touchy

Neuroticism

The Essential-Trait Approach

The FiveFive-Factor Model (Big 5)

Neuroticism

Talkative, assertive, energetic, outgoing, dominant, enthusiastic, sociable, spunky, adventurous

Extraversion

The Essential-Trait Approach

The FiveFive-Factor Model (Big 5)

Wide interests, imaginative, intelligent, insightful, curious, sophisticated

Neuroticism

Openness to Experience

Extraversion

The Essential-Trait Approach

The FiveFive-Factor Model (Big 5)

Neuroticism

Sympathetic, kind, appreciative, affectionate, soft-hearted, warm

Openness to Experience

Agreeableness

Extraversion

The Essential-Trait Approach

The FiveFive-Factor Model (Big 5)

Neuroticism

Openness to Experience

Agreeableness

Organized, thorough, efficient, responsible

Extraversion

Conscientiousness

The Essential-Trait Approach

Typological Approaches to Personality
Hum . . . He seems to be just my type! Wow . . . I hope Im her type of guy

Where do traits come from?

The question of development
Rank order stability Answered by each of the paradigms