The Trait Theory
The Essence of Trait Theory
The trait theory of personality does not do a great many things. It does not attempt to explain the development of personality. It does not focus on certain behaviors at certain times. It does not try to study the possibilities of personality change. What does it do? The trait theory studies the character traits that stand out in a person and the central traits that have remained the same for the person’s life time. This theory identifies, " what makes that person different from all others". It classifies certain people as having certain traits that determine how they will act and react in situations. The trait theory does not attempt to give a reason for personality, it attempts to explain what exactly personality is.
Personality Analysis
The trait theory of personality, encourages a person to determine their individual personality through the use of personality inventories. A personality inventory is diagnostic test of personality. Psychologists who administer this test are trying to define their subject's personality in terms of traits. Extra-version, Agreeableness, and Openness are an example of such tested traits. In fact the three traits listed along with two others are the primary traits tested for in the Big Five Personality Test. Personality Inventories, on the other hand, question the test taker over a wider range of characteristic than five main ones. The most famous personality inventory at the times is the MMPI ( The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). The MMPI tests not only for personality traits but for psychological disorders as well, such as schizophrenia, paranoia, etc. Therefore the MMPI is implemented by clinical psychologists as well as employers.
Criticisms of the Trait Theory
The primary criticisms of the trait theory revert back to the original explanation of trait theory and involves all those questions that the trait theory didn't answer. Many criticize the trait theory for not being able to explain the origins of personality. Others criticize the emphasis on character traits, claiming that often times traits cannot explain some behaviors. As simple and straight forward as the theory is, where there is support, there will also be criticism.
SOCIAL-COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE
This view of personality involves self-organization and regulation instead of just the theory that everything is shaped by external events. Through this perspective, people can control their own thought processes and motivations. Reciprocal determination, a theory by Albert Bandura, states that a person's actions are both influenced and influence personal factors and social interactions, which supports the social-cognitive theory.
Internal locus of control
Developed by Julian Rotter in 1954, it is a theory in personality psychology that refers to the extent to which people think that they can control the events that occur to them. This is important in the social cognitive perspective because people generally think that they can control their actions and thought processes, which leads to a high internal locus of control.
Learned helplessness
The condition that people learn that cause them to behave helplessly. For example, even when somebody has the opportunity to help itself, they will not even try to react to save itself. In relation to the social cognitive perspective, it contradicts it by saying that people do not have direct control over their thoughts and actions but are instead influenced by external factors.
Attribution/explanatory style
This is an attribute that shows how people explain why they experienced what they experienced. There are three different types: personal, permanent, pervasive. Personal makes the person believe that they were the cause of the experience, permanent makes the person believe that the event was unavoidable and there was nothing the person could do, and pervasive is where people connect the experience to all parts of their lives. Through the personal and pervasive styles, the social cognitive is reinforced while the permanent style goes against it.
Criticisms
Some arguments against this theory include biological an environmental factors. Biologically, this theory ignores the genetics of people and how those cannot be changed through personal choice. Environmental factors, not including social factors, could also affect the way people think because certain situations require people to act and think differently.
The Essence of Trait Theory
The trait theory of personality does not do a great many things. It does not attempt to explain the development of personality. It does not focus on certain behaviors at certain times. It does not try to study the possibilities of personality change. What does it do? The trait theory studies the character traits that stand out in a person and the central traits that have remained the same for the person’s life time. This theory identifies, " what makes that person different from all others". It classifies certain people as having certain traits that determine how they will act and react in situations. The trait theory does not attempt to give a reason for personality, it attempts to explain what exactly personality is.
Personality Analysis
The trait theory of personality, encourages a person to determine their individual personality through the use of personality inventories. A personality inventory is diagnostic test of personality. Psychologists who administer this test are trying to define their subject's personality in terms of traits. Extra-version, Agreeableness, and Openness are an example of such tested traits. In fact the three traits listed along with two others are the primary traits tested for in the Big Five Personality Test. Personality Inventories, on the other hand, question the test taker over a wider range of characteristic than five main ones. The most famous personality inventory at the times is the MMPI ( The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). The MMPI tests not only for personality traits but for psychological disorders as well, such as schizophrenia, paranoia, etc. Therefore the MMPI is implemented by clinical psychologists as well as employers.
Criticisms of the Trait Theory
The primary criticisms of the trait theory revert back to the original explanation of trait theory and involves all those questions that the trait theory didn't answer. Many criticize the trait theory for not being able to explain the origins of personality. Others criticize the emphasis on character traits, claiming that often times traits cannot explain some behaviors. As simple and straight forward as the theory is, where there is support, there will also be criticism.
SOCIAL-COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE
This view of personality involves self-organization and regulation instead of just the theory that everything is shaped by external events. Through this perspective, people can control their own thought processes and motivations. Reciprocal determination, a theory by Albert Bandura, states that a person's actions are both influenced and influence personal factors and social interactions, which supports the social-cognitive theory.
Internal locus of control
Developed by Julian Rotter in 1954, it is a theory in personality psychology that refers to the extent to which people think that they can control the events that occur to them. This is important in the social cognitive perspective because people generally think that they can control their actions and thought processes, which leads to a high internal locus of control.
Learned helplessness
The condition that people learn that cause them to behave helplessly. For example, even when somebody has the opportunity to help itself, they will not even try to react to save itself. In relation to the social cognitive perspective, it contradicts it by saying that people do not have direct control over their thoughts and actions but are instead influenced by external factors.
Attribution/explanatory style
This is an attribute that shows how people explain why they experienced what they experienced. There are three different types: personal, permanent, pervasive. Personal makes the person believe that they were the cause of the experience, permanent makes the person believe that the event was unavoidable and there was nothing the person could do, and pervasive is where people connect the experience to all parts of their lives. Through the personal and pervasive styles, the social cognitive is reinforced while the permanent style goes against it.
Criticisms
Some arguments against this theory include biological an environmental factors. Biologically, this theory ignores the genetics of people and how those cannot be changed through personal choice. Environmental factors, not including social factors, could also affect the way people think because certain situations require people to act and think differently.