FREE Traits Approach To Personality Development Essay (original) (raw)

There are four different approaches to understand personality. They are psychoanalytic and pschodynamic, phenomenological, learning and trait approaches. This paper concentrates on the trait approach.
Personality theories.
The working definition of personality means characteristic of the person that account for consistent patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving. However, for the trait theorists, their definitions are quite unique. Gordon Allport states that the most important structures of personality are those that permit the description of the person in terms of individual characteristics. Thus, the basic unit of personality is personal dispositions, which he called trait and his personality was utilized the concept of personal dispositions. .
Raymond B. Cattell defined personality as that which permits a prediction of what a person will do in a given situations'. This prediction can be measured and described by the source traits. .
Hans J. Eysenck states that behavior can be considered in terms of specific responses that some of them are linked together and form more general habits. Groups of habits occur together to form traits. He defined traits as important semi-permanent personality disposition (1981,p.3).
Concept of trait theory.
The basic assumption of the trait point of view is that people possess broad predisposition, called traits, to respond in particular ways. In order words, people may be described in terms of likelihood of their behaving, feeling, or thinking in a particular way. For example, the likelihood of their acting outgoing and friendly or feeling nervous and worried.
Trait is a basic unit of personality and is biological basis. Human behavior and personality can be organized into a hierarchy that is shown in the works of Hans Eysenck. The concept of trait assumes that behavior follow some patterns, regularity overtime and across situations. .
Trait approach to understand personality development.

1. Humanistic and Trait Approaches to Personality

The trait and humanistic are rival and contradictory theories towards personality. ... Trait theorists propose that human personality can be explained through a scale of certain indivisible personality attributes - "prime traits". ... The humanistic approach clearly has several flaws that mean that it cannot be the guiding principle behind any case study. ... Additionally, the trait theory with its measurements of personality based on its 2, 3 or 5 axes provides little clue to origins of personality or to future development. Without complex examination of personality changes over a longer time...

2. Personality

Personality Personality has been defined in many ways some have emphasized the dual influence of heredity and early childhood on personality development others have stressed broader social and environmental influences and the fact that personalities develop continuously over time. ... There are two distinct approaches to personality that are used by the consumer researchers the psychoanalytic theory approach and the trait theory approach. ... The trait approach is useful to marketers if the measured personality characteristics have direct relevance to the specific buying behaviour being in...

3. Personality

Trait theorists assert that people differ according to the degree to which they posses certain personality traits. ... Our language has many words that describe one's personality traits. ... The trait view of personality has considerable commonsense appeal. ... These theories help explain why people behave inconsistently, an area in which trait approaches fall short. ... Out of these various approaches four major personality theories have developed....

4. Personality Theory

Dispositional perspective is the most basic, traditional approach to personality. ... Currently the most popular approach among psychologists for studying personality traits is the five-factor model. ... What this might mean is that it is possible to inherit these same qualities and they in turn can impact personality development. ... It allows for the comparison of contributions of nature versus nurture to personality development (http://www.alleydog.com). ... Dispositional theories are responsible for the development of objective personality tests which have become the foundation of per...

5. Personality

Trait theories provide a useful means of measuring personality and can be complemented by the biological approach attributing genes as a possible cause of consistency. ... The biological approach complements trait theory by offering genetics as a possible explanation for consistency. ... Although the trait and biological approaches provide a great deal of evidence for personality consistency over time, they have been criticised for focusing on the "how much" of personality rather than the "how" or "why" (Block, cited in Westen 2002). ... The psychodynamic theory stresses the importance of chi...

6. Theories of personality critique

The nomothetic approach of Hans Eysenck concerns itself with quantifiable data that can be interpreted in a numerical fashion thus removing the intimacy of a person and their personality traits. ... Idiographic approaches in direct contract emphasise the development of the individual through their experiences and development. ... Idiographic approaches emphasise the constant development of an individual and of an individuals view of ones self, their self concept. ... Idiographic approaches are therefore concerned with the experiences and development of the individual. ... Erik Erikson and his ...

7. Understanding Personality

This paper is going to define personality, and examine theoretical approaches used in studying personality. This paper will also analyze factors that may influence an individual's personality development. ... There are many faces to every person, much as there are many traits to every personality. ... Examining Theoretical Approaches in Studying Personality There are many theoretical approaches when it comes to studying personality. ... Analyzing Factors that Influence the Development of Personality There are many factors that can directly influence how a person's personality develo...

8. Leadership and Personal Development

The Seven habits of Stephen Covey also important for us to improve our self-development. ... Inspiration as a leadership trait. ... Finally,intelligence as a leadership trait which is the most difficult part to develop. ... My personality become more complete by seven habits and leadership traits. I will continues to learn and use those abilities to self-development....

9. Personality

People that suffer from Avoidant Personality Disorder display traits such as timidity, shyness, and a withdrawing behavior. Avoidants, people that suffer from Avoidant Personality Disorder, use these traits to hurt others so that they can avoid a close relationship with them. ... Another important factor that contributes to the development of Avoidant Personality Disorder is parental rejection. ... To handle the causes, complications, and consequences that Avoidant Personality Disorder consist of, there are few approaches for the treatment of this unique personality disorder. ...

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