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e; they identify
with their parents
c) Laterborn children must find different niches, and, thus, are
usually more open to experience and deviance
B. Describing with Traits
1. Traits are enduring qualities or attributes that predispose individuals
to behave consistently across situations
2. Allport’s trait approach
a) Allport posited that each individual has a unique
combination of traits, the building blocks of personality. Three
kinds of traits have been identified:
(i) Cardinal traits are those around which the individual
organizes his or her life
(ii) Central traits represent major characteristics of the
individual
(iii) Secondary traits are specific, personal features that
help predict the individual’s behavior, but are less
useful for understanding personality
b) Allport’s interest was in discovery of the unique combinations
of these traits that made each individual a singular entity. He
viewed personality structures rather than environmental
conditions to be the critical determinants of individual
behavior
3. Identifying Universal Trait Dimensions
a) Cattell proposed that 16 factors provide the underlying source
of the surface behaviors that we think of as personality
b) Eysenck derived three broad personality dimensions:
(i) Extroversion: internal vs. external orientation
(ii) Neuroticism: emotionally stable vs. emotionally
unstable
(iii) Psychoticism: kind and considerate vs. aggressive and
antisocial
c) Eysenck proposed that personality differences on these
dimensions were caused by genetic and biological differences
4. Five-Factor Model: Recent research indicates that five factors overlap
Eysenck’s original three, best characterize personality structure
a) The five-factor model (the Big Five) brings categories having a
common theme together in the following dimensions:
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(i) Extroversion: Talkative, energetic, and assertive vs.
quiet, reserved, and shy
(ii) Agreeableness: Sympathetic, kind, and affectionate vs.
cold, quarrelsome, and cruel
(iii) Conscientiousness: Organized, responsible, and
cautious vs. careless, frivolous, and irresponsible
(iv) Neuroticism (emotional stability): Stable, calm, and
contented vs. anxious, unstable, and temperamental
(v) Openness to experience: Creative, intellectual, and open
minded vs. simple, shallow, and unintelligent
b) Factors are not intended as replacement for specific trait
terms, rather they outline a taxonomy that better describes
individuals in capturing the dimensions on which they differ
C. Traits and Heritability
1. Behavioral genetics: The study of the degree to which personality traits
and behavior patterns are inherited
2. Heritability studies show that almost all personality traits are
influenced by genetic factors
D. Do Traits Predict Behaviors?