The use of such descriptive terms as happy, resourceful, aggresfive, and dependent is a common way of talking about personality. Such traits, or typical ways of behaving, go into many descriptions. In the English language alone, some 18,000 tenns have been compiled that serve to distinguish people behaviorally. According to trait theory personality can be described by its position on a number of scales, each of which represents one trait. We have both common traits by which we compare one person with another and personal dispositions that give each of us individuality. The trait approach to the study of personality lends itself to experimentation where. traits are reactions, not something a person possesses. One psychologist emphasizes that "it is important for the student of personality that when psychologists describe personality in tenns of traits or types, they may be using identical tenninology but may have completely different theories as to what traits exist and how these traits are organized within the individual."
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Trait Theory of Personality
The use of such descriptive terms as happy, resourceful, aggresfive, and dependent is a common way of talking about personality. Such traits, or typical ways of behaving, go into many descriptions. In the English language alone, some 18,000 tenns have been compiled that serve to distinguish people behaviorally. According to trait theory personality can be described by its position on a number of scales, each of which represents one trait. We have both common traits by which we compare one person with another and personal dispositions that give each of us individuality. The trait approach to the study of personality lends itself to experimentation where. traits are reactions, not something a person possesses. One psychologist emphasizes that "it is important for the student of personality that when psychologists describe personality in tenns of traits or types, they may be using identical tenninology but may have completely different theories as to what traits exist and how these traits are organized within the individual."
