Personality is a dynamic and complex phenomenon that has invoked curiosity among many thinkers. People's personalities are defined by their thoughts, feelings, and acts. Personality is also responsible for how a person interacts with their surroundings. Personality is generally stable; though environmental factors can influence it. A person's personality influences how they react to different circumstances and people. Many theorists have tried to explain the concept. Sigmund Freud believed that a person's personality was the cumulative consequence of their inbuilt instincts and parental influences. He believed that genes, as well as the environment, worked together to form a complete personality. Carl Hung came up with the extrovert-introvert spectrum of personality.
Gordon Allport was an American psychologist who contributed a lot to our understanding of the concept of personality. He disagreed with several aspects of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytical theory of personality and the behavioral point of view of personality. He came up with another theory of personality, which he named the trait theory of personality. He believed that to understand people, we needed to break down their behavior patterns into observable traits. According to trait theory, the trait is a characteristic or attribute of an individual that is somewhat stable and lasts for a long period. Traits' most important characteristics are their relative stability over time, varying degrees of expression in different individuals, and their influence on behavior.
Gordon Allport was an American psychologist who contributed a lot to our understanding of the concept of personality. He disagreed with several aspects of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytical theory of personality and the behavioral point of view of personality. He came up with another theory of personality, which he named the trait theory of personality. He believed that to understand people, we needed to break down their behavior patterns into observable traits. According to trait theory, the trait is a characteristic or attribute of an individual that is somewhat stable and lasts for a long period. Traits' most important characteristics are their relative stability over time, varying degrees of expression in different individuals, and their influence on behavior.
Allport characterized three different types of traits −
Cardinal traits are the obvious main traits that dominate an individual's life. These traits are rare, and they often take years to develop. When cardinal traits are present, they form a person's sense of self, emotional composition, and even attitude. Honesty and integrity are examples of cardinal traits.
Central traits are less pronounced than cardinal traits but are significant and distinct in every individual. These traits are responsible for many behaviors, and examples of these traits include shyness and intellect.
Secondary traits are less obvious, less consistent, and less important in defining our personality than cardinal and central traits. They have significantly fewer generalized and relevant dispositions. They are only seen in specific situations or under specific conditions. Food preference or music genre can be examples of secondary traits.
According to Gordon, cardinal traits are very prominent and cannot be hidden. People have ten to fifteen central traits that describe their identity. Additionally, members of a culture or society share common traits or dispositions. According to Allport, these characteristics are influenced by our childhood experiences, the context in which it occurs, and the interplay between them.
There are some advantages to studying traits. Here is a list of some of the most common strengths found.
It can list and categorize some observable behaviors. Predictable behavior patterns are found when an individual's actions are observed over prolonged periods. These studies were conducted by placing the person in different environments. The findings provided substantial evidence to support a more predictable outcome of the individual's reactions to the actions to which they were subjected.
Objective criteria have been used to study traits and categorize and measure them. A factor analysis was performed, and the findings demonstrated that specific sets of traits could be identified.
There Several trait assessment techniques are available today, some of which are more reliable than others. Some of these tests profile a person's behavior patterns to assess traits, often providing a quick assessment of a single trait, such as extraversion, anxiety, or self-esteem. Commonly known tests to assess traits are the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory(MMPI) or the OCEAN Scale, which measure the Big Five personality traits.
Allport's trait theory is regarded as a seminal work in personality. Many people have criticized Allport's trait theory of personality, and some argue that it does not take a person's status or temporary behavior into account.
Despite its simplicity, this theory fails to produce clear results. This theory could not produce a set of qualities that could differentiate leaders from non-leaders in one of the research.
Gordon Allport, a pioneer of personality psychology, developed an objective personality theory. He identified thousands of personality traits from a dictionary and categorized them into three categories. These categories he called cardinal traits, central traits, and secondary traits. His theory has several strengths, such as the predictability of behavior based on traits. Additionally, objective tests for measuring personality are based on trait theories. However, there is little empirical research on his theory of personality. The number of human personality traits is still a subject of debate. Due to such unsolved questions, his theory is criticized by many. However, his contribution has allowed us to generate personality tests and objective means of measuring personality.
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