Question

Explain any one approach to the study of personality.

Answer 1

Trait approach:

1. These theories focus on describing the fundamental elements of personality.
2. They aim to identify the basic “building blocks” that make up personality.
3. The trait approach tries to identify the main characteristics or traits that describe an individual’s personality.
   
   1. Allport’s trait: Gordon Allport is regarded as the pioneer of the trait approach to personality. He classified traits into cardinal, central, and secondary traits.  
      1. Cardinal Traits: These are very broad and powerful traits that dominate an individual’s behaviour, such that almost all of their actions are linked to them. They reflect the central theme around which a person’s life revolves. Allport believed that most individuals do not possess cardinal traits. Examples include Mahatma Gandhi’s commitment to non-violence and Mother Teresa’s humanitarianism.
      2. Central Traits: These traits are less dominant than cardinal traits but are still fairly broad in nature. They are commonly used when writing testimonials or job recommendations for a person, such as warm, sincere, and diligent.
      3. Secondary Traits: These traits are the least general aspects of a person’s personality. They can change over time and have a limited influence on behaviour, such as liking mangoes or preferring foreign cars.
   2. Cattell’s personality factors: Raymond Cattell proposed that people share a common personality structure, but differ in the degree to which traits are present. He identified 16 primary or source traits, along with several surface traits. 
      1. Source Traits: These traits are stable and form the basic foundation of personality. They are fundamental traits with opposite tendencies, such as aggression.
      2. Surface Traits: These traits arise from the interaction of underlying source traits. They are relatively less stable and can be directly observed, such as being cool or warm, and dominant or passive.
   3. Eysenck’s theory: H. J. Eysenck proposed that personality can be explained using two broad dimensions that have a biological and genetic basis. Each dimension consists of several specific traits.
      1. Neuroticism vs. Emotional Stability:
         1. It refers to how well individuals are able to regulate and control their emotions.
         2. People high in neuroticism tend to be anxious, moody, sensitive, restless, and easily lose emotional control.
         3. Emotionally stable individuals are calm, even-tempered, dependable, and able to remain in control.
      2. Extraversion vs. Introversion:
         1. It refers to the extent to which a person is socially outgoing or socially withdrawn.
         2. Extroverted individuals are active, sociable, impulsive, and enjoy excitement and group activities.
         3. Introverted individuals tend to be quiet, cautious, reserved, and more passive.
      3. Psychoticism vs. Sociability:
         1. This dimension was introduced later by Eysenck.
         2. It develops as a result of interaction between the other two dimensions.
         3. Individuals high on psychoticism tend to be hostile, self-centred, and antisocial.