Gordon W. Allport(1897-1967), a leading trait theorist for more than forty years, noted that an unbridged dictionary 18,000 words that people could use to describe each other (1937). If synonyms were ignored, nearly 5,000 words will remain. Some trait theorists reduce the many to an essential few by factor analysis.
Factor Analysis is the method used most often in the area of mental abilities
in attempts to answer such questions as whether mathematical andverbal skills are separate
aspects of "intelligence".
It is a statistical technique for analyzing and grouping a large
number of variables. In factor analysis that are related are grouped into clusters and separated
from other clusters whose variables correlate. You might suspect, for example, that people who score
highly on a trait such as "warm" would tend to do so too on "sociable", "agreeable", and even "talkative".
That cluster would be set apart from another cluster of terms such as "touchy", "restless", "moody', and "excitable".
Raymond B.Cattell (1905- ), one of the famous factor analysts whose work has spanned five decades, has proposed (1979,1980) sixteen basic traits to describe the ways in which people differ. Cattel regarded the first three traits as -- warmth, intelligence, and emotional responsiveness- as the most important.
Cattel also created a questionnare to measure these sixteen traits: the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, or 16 PF. It consists of several hundred multiple-choice questions by which subjects describe their own personalities. For example, one question asks the subjects whether they generally prefer other who (a) are somewhat reserved, (b) are in between, or (c) are somewhat outgoing.
HAns Eysenck (1916- ), another famous trait theorist, a;so used factor analysis to reduce the hundreds of possible traits
to a few (1981). He went beyond Cattel, however, and cut them down to three basic dimensions:
introversion-extraversion, emotional stability-emotional instability (which he calls "neuroticism"), and tough mindedness-tender mindedness
(which he calls "psychotism"). Eysenck points out that this scheme closely resembles those put forward since antiquity. Galen, the greek physician,
medical writer, and philospher (131-201 A.D.) suggested that people fell into four main types: melancholic (gloomy), choleric
(angry), sanguine (cheerful), and phlegmatic (stolid). The relationship of Galen's types to Eysenck's introversion-extraversion and
stability-instability dimensions, see the photo below
Eysenck also developed a personality questionnare to measure traits called the Eysenck Personality Test, or EPQ
(Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975). It consistes of ninety items requiring "yes" or "no" responses and includes a "lie" scale to attempt to detect people
who answers untruthfully.
The EPQ descrives the typical extravert and introvert:
The typical extravert is sociable, likes parties, has many friends, needs to have people to talk to, and does not like reading or sttudying by himself. He craves excitement, takes chances, often sticks his neck out, acts on the spur of the moment, and is generally an impulsive individual. He is fond of of practical jokes, always has an ready answer, and generally likes change; he is carefree, easygoing, optimistic, and 'likes to laugh and be merry". He prefers to keep moving and doing thingd, tends to be more agressive and loses his temper quickly; altogether his feelings are not kept under vontrol, and he is not always a reliable person.
The typical introvert is a quiet, retiring sort of person, intospective, fond of books rather than people; he is removed and distant except to intimate friends. he tends to plan ahead, "looks before he leaps", and mistrusts the impulse of the moment. He does not like excitement, takes matters of everyday life with proper seriousness, and likes a well-ordered mode of life. He keeps his feeling under close control, seldom behaves in an agressive manner, and does not lose his temper easily. He is reliable, somewhat pessimistic, and places greater value on ethical standards.
Evaluation of Trait Approach
The traditional wisdom of the trait approach has contributred greatly to the understanding of personality. The Approach has provided the trait as the unit
of analysis and has demonstrated that consistency exists in the way people behave, both over time and across situations. Most important, it has shown that
personality can be measured in ways that allow behavior to be predicted. The cheif weakness of the trait approach is that it doesn't address itself to the
question traits originate or how they develop. The following approaches addresses these questions.