CATTELLS 16 TRAIT DIMENSIONS

Raymond Cattell was born on 20 March 1905, in Hilltop, West Bromwich, a small town in England, where his father's family was involved in inventing new parts for engines, automobiles, and other machines. He entered the field of psychology almost against his own better judgment. After working in a hospital during WW I, he decided that understanding human behavior and interaction is the only way to get beyond the irrationality of the times.

While a graduate student at London University, he was hired as a research assistant to Charles Spearman. Cattell theorized the existence of fluid and crystallized intelligences to explain human cognitive ability, and authored the Culture Fair Intelligence Test to minimize the bias of written language and cultural background in intelligence testing.

One of the most important results of Cattell's application of factor analysis was his discovery of 16 factors underlying human personality. He called these factors "source traits" because he believed they provide the underlying source for the surface behaviors we think of as personality. This theory of personality factors and the instrument used to measure them are known respectively as the 16 personality factor model and the 16PF Questionnaire.

He decided to name these traits with letters (A, B, C, D, E) in order to avoid misnaming these newly discovered dimensions, or inviting confusion with existing vocabulary and concepts. Factor-analytic studies by many researchers in diverse cultures around the world have re-validated the number and meaning of these traits.

This measures a persons characteristic style of thinking, perceiving, and acting overtime and in different situations. These personality traits are evidenced through a persons attitudes, preferences, habits and emotional reactions.

A.WARMTH B. REASONING C. EMOTIONAL STABILITY E. DOMINANCE F. LIVELINESS G. RULE CONSCIOUSNESS H. SOCIAL BOLDNESS I. SENSITIVITY L. VIGILANCE M. ABSTRACTEDNSS N. PRIVATENESS O APPREHENSION Q1 OPENNESS TO CHANGE Q2 SELF RELIANCE Q3 PERFECTIONISM Q4 TENSION

PRIMARY FACTOR

DESCRIPTORS OF LOW RANGE

PRIMARY FACTOR

DESCRIPTORS OF HIGH RANGE

Reserve, distant, cool, aloof

Concrete thinking, Lower Scholastic Mental Capacity Reactive, easily upset Cooperative, humble, avoids conflict

A. WARMTH

Warm, outgoing,

B. REASONING

More intelligent Hig Emotionally stable, mature Dominant, assertive, bossy

C. EMOTIONAL STABILITY E. DOMINANCE

Serious, silent

F. LIVELINESS

Lively, animated, Happy go lucky

Disregards rules, nonconforming

Shy, threatsensitive, timid

G. RULE CONCIOUSNESS
H. SOCIAL BOLDNESS

Moralistic, rule bound, conscientious

Socially bold, venturesome, thickskinned Sensitive, tender minded

Utilitarian, objective, Unsentimental, rough Trusting, unsuspecting, easy

I. SENSITIVITY

L. VIGILANCE

Suspicious, distrustful

Grounded, practical, steady

M.

ABSTRACTEDNESS

Abstract, imaginative, absorbed in ideas Private, discreet, diplomatic Self doubting, worried, insecure

Open, nave, unpretentious

N. PRIVATENESS

Unworried, complacent, free of guilt Traditional, attached to familiar

O. APPREHENSION

Q1. OPENNESS TO CHANGE

Open to change, experimental, flexibility Solitary, individualistic, Self- reliant

Group- oriented, affiliative, a joiner and follower dependent

Q2. SELFRELIANCE

Tolerated disorder, lax, undisciplined, uncontrolled

Q3. PERFECTIONISM

Perfectionist, organized, control, Self- disciplined

Relaxed, placid, tranquil

Q4. TENSION

Tense, high energy, frustrated, time driven

REPORTER: ABIGAIL A. CORTES