Cattell:
Structural Principles: Categories of Personality Traits
Despite Cattell's assertion that behavior is determined by the interaction of traits and situational variables, his main organizing concept of personality lies in descriptions of the various types of traits he has identified. According to Cattell, personality traits are relatively constant tendencies to respond in a certain way in different situations and at different times. The spectrum of action of these tendencies is extremely wide. In other words, traits are hypothetical mental structures found in behavior that cause a predisposition to act in the same way in different circumstances and over time. Personality traits reflect stable and predictable psychological characteristics and, of course, are the most important in Cattell's concept.
As noted earlier, the study structural elements Ket-tel's personality relies heavily on factor analysis. As a result of conducting multiple factor analysis procedures on data collected during the study of thousands of subjects, he concludes that personality traits can be classified or categorized in several ways. Consider Cattell's proposed principles for classifying traits (Kettel also uses the term factors).
Surface features are base features.surface feature represents a set of behavioral characteristics that, when observed, appear in an “inseparable” unity. For example, the observed manifestations of inability to concentrate, indecision and restlessness may be closely related to each other and constitute a superficial feature of neuroticism. Here neuroticism is confirmed by a set of interrelated visible elements, and not by any one of them. Since surface traits do not have a single basis and temporal permanence, Cattell does not consider them significant in explaining behavior.
original traits, on the contrary, they are the foundational structures that Cattell believes form the building blocks of the very building of personality. These are some combined values or factors that ultimately determine the constancy that is observed in human behavior. Source traits exist at a "deeper" level of personality and determine various forms of behavior over a long period of time.
After an extensive research work using factor analysis, Cattell came to the conclusion that the basic structure of personality is formed by about sixteen initial traits (Table 6-3). These personality trait factors are probably better known in connection with the scale now used to measure them: Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF). This self-esteem scale and several others also developed by Cattell have proven to be extremely useful and popular in both applied and theoretical studies.
10.1 G. Allport's dispositional theory of personality. Personality structure: personal dispositions and proprium. General and individual features. Cardinal, central and secondary dispositions. Motivational and stylistic dispositions. Proprium (own). Eight stages of personality formation.
DISPOSITIONAL THEORY OF PERSONALITY
(G.W. Allport)
allport defines a personal as the real essence of each individual person, unique in its originality. The personality of the scientist is called. what lies behind the concrete actions of people. within himself. "Personal is the dynamic organization of those psycho-physical systems within the individual that determine what is characteristic of him behavior and thinking". It is not a static entity, although it has a fundamental structure, it is constantly evolving.
As well as intellect and physical constitution temperament is the primary genetic the material from which the personal is built. It is a particularly important hereditary aspect of emotions. the nature of people (along with the ease of emotional arousal, the prevailing background of mood, mood swings, intensity of emotions). Character yavl. ethical concept and is traditionally associated with a certain moral standard or system values, according to which deeds personal According to Allport's formulation, character is an estimated personal, and personal. is an invaluable character.
The most important unit of analysis of what people are and how they differ from each other in their behavior, yavl. personality trait. Allport defines it as a neuropsychology, a structure capable of transforming functionally equivalent stimuli, of stimulating and directing equivalent (and therefore, to a degree stable) forms of adaptive and expressive behavior. A trait is a predisposition to behave in a similar way over a wide range of situations. The combination of traits ensures the stability of human behavior, its recognizability, predictability. A variety of stimuli evoke the same responses, just as reactions in the form of feelings, sensations, interpretations, actions have the same function, meaning. personality traits are not dormant. Situations in which personal it turns out most often - these are, as a rule, exactly the very ones in which she actively seeks to get into.
In Allport's later work, traits were called dispositions, among which three types can be distinguished: cardinal, central and secondary. Cardinal disposition, or ch. passion, possess very few people. It's in the highest degree generalized disposition, so penetrating behavior that almost all the actions of people. can be attributed to its influence. Among individuals with such a disposition, one can name Don Juan, Joan of Arc, Albert Schweitzer. Central dispositions are building blocks individuality and represent such tendencies in human behavior that are easily detected by others and are mentioned in the recommendation. letters (e.g. punctuality, attentiveness, responsibility). Secondary dispositions - less visible, less stable, less generalized traits such as food and clothing preferences, situational characteristics, special installations.
Personal not yavl. a set of disparate dispositions, it presupposes unity, integration of all structures. elements of personality. There is a certain principle of organizing assessments, motives, inclinations, sensations into a single whole, which Allport offers to Naz. proprium. Proprium is a positive, creative, growth-seeking and developing human property. nature, perceived as the most important and central. It's about about such a part of the subject. experiences like "mine", oh self. Proprium is a kind of organizing and unifying force, the purpose of which is the formation of the uniqueness of human life.
Allport identifies seven aspects of the self involved in the development of the proprium from childhood to adulthood, calling them propriotic functions. As a result of their final consolidation, the "I" is formed as an object, subject, cognition and sensation. Stages of development of the proprium: 1) the feeling of one's body, which forms the bodily self, which remains throughout life as a support for self-awareness; 2) a sense of self-identity, a significant moment of which is self-awareness through speech as a certain and important person, the emergence of a sense of integrity and continuity of the "I", associated with the name of the child; 3) a sense of self-esteem as a sense of pride about the fact that certain actions are already being performed independently; the most important source of improvement self-esteem throughout childhood; 4) the expansion of the boundaries of the self, which arises as children realize that they own not only their physical body, but also a determinant. significant elements of ext. the world, including people; 5) self-image, when the child begins to focus on the expectations of significant relatives, imagining what "I am good" and "I am bad" means; 6) rational management of oneself, yavl. expressed conformity, moral and social obedience, when a child learns to rationally solve life. problems, dogmatically believing that family, peers and religion are always right; 7) proprietary pursuit, yavl. setting promising life goals, the feeling that life has meaning.
Above the proprium is the knowledge of oneself, synthesizing the enumerated ontogenetic. stage and representing the subjective side of the "I", aware of the "I-objective". In conclusion, the proprium stage correlates with the unique ability of people. to self-knowledge and self-awareness.
Individual is a dynamic (motivated) developing system. Adequate theory motivation, according to Allport, should consider the long-term goals of the person, his intentions. The key to understanding yavl. the answer to the question: "What do you want to do in five years?". According to Allport, a person is free from the past - connections with the past are historical, not functional.
The maturation of It is a continuous, lifelong process of becoming. mature behavior subjects, unlike neurotic subjects, is functionally autonomous and motivated by conscious processes. Mature person. characterized by the following features: 1) has wide boundaries of "I"; 2) capable of warm, cordial social relations; 3) demonstrates emotion. carelessness and self-acceptance; 4) has a healthy sense of reality; 5) has the ability for self-knowledge and a sense of humor; 6) has a whole life. philosophy.
Allport's theory is popular among clinical practitioners. psychologists, psychoanalysts.
10.2 Factor theory personalities of H. Eysenck. Bipolar superfactors (extraversion - introversion, neuroticism - stability, superego - psychotism) as three dimensions of personality. The concept of a hierarchical four-level model of personality: specific actions or thoughts; habitual actions or thoughts; personality traits; the highest level is the level of types or superfactors.
Theory of G.Yu.Eysenck. Built on a hierarchical type and includes a description of the three-factor model of psychodynamic. properties (extraversion - introversion, neuroticism and psychotic). These properties Eysenck refers to the types of the general level of hierarchical. organization structure personal. At the next level are traits, below is the level of habitual reactions, actually observed behavior.
Factors of the second order of Cattell correspond to the first two factors of Eysenck, who, in the study of personal. also used assessment methods, questionnaires, situational tests, physiol. measurements, and also took into account the role of heredity.
Eysenck's significant contribution to the field of factor analysis was the development of a criteria analysis technique, which made it possible to single out specific criteria groups of features as much as possible, for example. differentiate the contingent by neuroticism. No less important conceptual position of Eysenck yavl. the idea that the hereditary factor determines the differences between people in terms of autonomic reactivity nervous system, speed and strength of conditioned reactions, t, i.e. according to genotypic. and phenotypic. indicators as the basis individual differences in manifestations of neuroticism, psychotism and extraversion - introversion. Reactive individual inclined under appropriate conditions to the emergence of neurotic. disorders, and individuals who easily form conditioned responses demonstrate introversion in behavior. People with insufficient ability to the formation of conditioned reactions and autonomous reactivity, more often than others they are prone to fears, phobias, obsessions, and other neurotic. symptoms. In general, neurotic behavior yavl. the result of learning, which is based on reactions of fear and anxiety.
Considering that the imperfection of psychiatry, diagnoses are associated with insufficient personality. psychodiagnostics, Eysenck developed questionnaires for this purpose and accordingly adjusted the methods of treatment in psychoneurology.
10.3 Factor theory of traits by R. Cattell. Basic and surface features. temperament traits. Normal features. anomalous traits. Features of the second order. dynamic features. Ergi. Semes are socially formed conducting structures of ergs. The genetic basis of traits. L-data, Q-data, T-data.
Theory of R.B. Cattella comes from the "theory of traits" and the construction of personalities on their basis. profile. Motivational construct of personality space. spheres yavl. dynamic features, the structure of which forms the essence of personal. (a trait is described as a "mental structure" responsible for what is observed behavior, its regularity and consistency).
Personal - this is a set of features that allows you to predict the actions of people. in this situations. Associated with both external and internal. behavior individual. The purpose of psychol. research personal. yavl. establishing the laws by which people behave in typical social situations.
In the structure of personal Cattell distinguished between superficial and original features. Surface traits are clusters of open, outwardly variable, accompanying each other in a range of behaviors. acts. Baseline traits underlie superficial behaviors. traits are more stable, important, give a deep assessment of behavior and are determined only by factor analysis. Any isolated trait yavl. the cumulative product of environmental factors and heredity, but with a predominance of one of the parties ("features formed by the environment" and "constitutional features").
On a functional basis, Cattell divides the features into dynamic ones, providing activity in achieving the goal, traits capabilities, which determine the effectiveness of achieving the goal; temperamental, associated with the constitutional factor, manifested in speed, energy, emotions. reactivity. More variable personal structures. Cattell referred to the states and roles.
Cattell substantiated the system (sources) for obtaining personal data. Based on the description of a personal in terms temperament, abilities, and other traits, he proposed a "specification equation" for the integral assessment of personal. Predicting personal behavior. in applied terms, it is achieved by combining the "profile of traits" and the profile of psychol indices. situations.
During personal development there is a change in its structure.
10.4 The "Big Five" as a way to describe personality: openness to experience (O), conscientiousness (C), extraversion / introversion (E), friendliness (A), emotional stability (N) (OCEAN).
FIVE-FACTORY MODEL OF PERSONALITY
In factor theories, personality is seen as consisting of stable internal factors that determine individual differences. Within this theoretical framework, Allport, Eysenck, Cattell, R. Norman, L. Goldberg.
Creation of P. m. l., as well as works of the mentioned authors, were based on the lexical approach: allocation of criteria for the description personal. from the analysis of nature. language and subsequent scientific. taxonomization. A typical research procedure within the framework of this model looks like this. Trained experts identify adjectives in the dictionary that describe individual differences in behavior. Then concepts are selected according to the criterion of relevance, usability, naturalness and are classified into categories. personal qualities. The structure of traits is subjected to careful analysis. To obtain the final taxonomic structure, a factorial and cluster analysis of research data is carried out, constructed as an assessment and self-assessment procedure.
As a result of the work carried out, five factors were identified that showed stability in different samples, including in different sociocultural conditions. The personality structure proposed on the basis of research by P. Costa and R. McCra was called the Big Five in 1961. It consists of the following dimensions (in parentheses are adjectives that received the highest load on factors):
1. Extraversion-introversion (sociable, assertive, energetic, active).
2. Accommodating (good-natured, cooperative, trusting).
3. Conformity (conscientious, responsible, disciplined).
4. Emotional stability (calm, not neurotic, not depressed).
5. Openness (intellectual, independently thinking). Based on P. m. l. the personality questionnaire NEO PI-R was developed. At present, the most discussed issues are the reproducibility of the obtained measurements, the clarification of the reasons for their universality, the number of factors and their content, the need to identify middle-level categories. The problem is that the factors obtained may not reflect the structure of a person, but be the result of a method. This is indicated by the similarity of the factors with the measurements of the semantic differential.
As a criticism, it should be noted that the theory does not pay enough attention to the problem of development (with the exception of a discussion of individual longitudinal studies and comparison of data obtained from samples of different ages). According to the content of P. m. l. - the structure of individual differences, and not the structure of personality, which allows us to understand and predict the dynamics of development, the causes of violations, etc. The subject of study is the observed behavior, and not its causes and factors. The motivational system, emotions, and the structure of the intellectual qualities of a person turned out to be beyond the scope of attention.
19. Structural theory of personality traits r. Cattell. Category of personality traits. Temperamental traits. Cattell (description).
Unlike many other theorists, Cattell did not begin with clinical observations or intuitions about human nature. On the contrary, his approach is firmly based on the use of precise empirical research methods.
He believes, as does Allport, that personality traits form the core of the personality structure, and, ultimately, they are responsible for what a person will do in a given situation. Like Allport, Cattell distinguishes between common and unique traits.
According to Cattell, personality is what allows us to predict a person's behavior in a given situation.
Structural Principles: Categories of Personality Traits
Despite Cattell's assertion that behavior is determined by the interaction of traits and situational variables, his main organizing concept of personality lies in descriptions of the various types of traits he has identified. According to Cattell, personality traits are relatively constant tendencies to respond in a certain way in different situations and at different times. The spectrum of action of these tendencies is extremely wide. In other words, traits are hypothetical mental structures found in behavior that cause a predisposition to act in the same way in different circumstances and over time. Personality traits reflect stable and predictable psychological characteristics and are by far the most important in Cattell's concept.
Surface features are the original features.
surface feature is a set of behavioral characteristics that, when observed, appear in an "inseparable" unity. For example, the observed manifestations of inability to concentrate, indecision and restlessness may be closely related to each other, and constitute a superficial feature of neuroticism. Here, neuroticism is confirmed by a set of interrelated visible elements, and not by any one of them. Since surface traits have no single basis and temporal permanence, Cattell does not consider them significant in explaining behavior.
Initial features, on the contrary, are the foundational structures that Cattell believes form the building blocks of the very building of personality. These are some combined values or factors that ultimately determine the constancy that is observed in human behavior. Source traits exist at a "deeper" level of personality and determine various forms of behavior over a long period of time.
After extensive research using factor analysis, Cattell came to the conclusion that the basic structure of personality is formed by approximately sixteen initial traits (Table 6-3). These personality trait factors are probably better known in connection with the scale now used to measure them: Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factors Inventory. in theoretical research.
Below is a discussion of baseline traits assessed using the 16 PF questionnaire.
Main baseline traits identified using the Cattell Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire (16 PF)
A: responsiveness - aloofness
B: Intelligence
C: Emotional stability - emotional instability
E: Dominance - subordination
G: Consciousness-irresponsibility
H: Courage-timidity
I: Softness - hardness, etc.
Constitutional traits are traits shaped by the environment. According to Cattell, the original traits can be divided into two subtypes - depending on their source. Constitutional features develop from the biological and physiological data of the individual. For example, recovering from a cocaine addiction can cause sudden irritability, depression, and anxiety. Cattell could argue that such behavior is a consequence of changes in human physiology and thus reflects constitutional original traits.
Features formed environment , on the contrary, are due to influences in the social and physical environment. These traits reflect the characteristics and behaviors learned through the learning process and form the pattern imprinted on the individual by their environment. So a man who grew up on a Midwestern farm behaves differently than a man who has spent his life in the slums of the city.
Ability, temperament and dynamic traits. The original features, in turn, can be classified in terms of the modality through which they are expressed. Capabilities how traits determine a person's skills and effectiveness in achieving a desired goal. Intelligence, musical ability, hand-eye coordination are some examples of ability. Temperament traits refer to other emotional and stylistic qualities of behavior. For example, people may work on a task either quickly or slowly; they may react calmly or hysterically to a crisis. Cattell considers temperament traits as constitutional initial traits that determine a person's emotionality. Finally , dynamic features reflect the motivational elements of human behavior. These are traits that activate and direct the subject towards specific goals. So, for example, a person can be characterized as ambitious, striving for power or interested in acquiring material wealth.
Common features are unique features. Like Allport, Cattell is convinced that it makes sense to classify traits into common and unique. common feature is a trait that is present to varying degrees in all members of the same culture. For example, self-esteem, intelligence, and introversion are common traits.
Unique Traits- these are traits that only a few or even one person has at all. Cattell suggests that unique traits are especially common in areas of interest and attitudes. For example, Sally is the only person to assemble a collection of reports of infant mortality in Sweden and Canada in 1930. Very few people, if any, would share this interest.
Almost all of Cattell's research is devoted to common features, but his recognition of unique features makes it possible to emphasize the importance of the unique individuality of people. He also believes that the organization of common features in a person is always unique in itself. However, we should not exaggerate the significance of Cattell's recognition of the uniqueness of the combination of traits in each individual person. In fact, he was much more interested in general principles of behavior than in the personality of a particular individual.
In terms of the breadth and scope of research in the field of personality, no doubt, Cattell deserves recognition as the most outstanding personologist of our time. His scientific and research activities touched on almost every aspect of personality theory—structure, development, motivation, psychopathology, mental health, and change. His efforts to construct a theory based on precision measurement techniques are truly impressive. As one of his followers notes, Cattell is worthy of every admiration: "It should be noted that Cattell's original program for the study of personality was the result of an extremely rich theoretical system, which turned out to be much more fruitful in relation to empirical research than any other theory. Unfortunately, however, the theory Cattell has not received due appreciation from many personologists who have studied human personality, and has remained essentially little known to the general public.Critics point out that Cattell's works were written difficult language and difficult to understand. There is also criticism of his excessive commitment to factor analysis, as well as the subjectivity of his proposed formulations, interpretations and names of the main features obtained by the statistical method. Despite the lack of attention to his work and some well-deserved reproaches against him, Cattell remains a staunch adherent of his approach, which, in all likelihood, will enable us to understand the structure and functions of personality. We hope that this short review will serve as an incentive for students to become more seriously acquainted with Cattell's theory. We especially recommend the work he wrote as a student of the last year of the university - " Scientific analysis personality".
Last update: 13/03/2015
Another approach to defining personality is dispositional theories.
If someone asked you to describe the personality of your close friend, how would you do it? Descriptions like "sociable", "kind" and "balanced" immediately come to mind, don't they? All of these are character traits. What exactly does the term "feature" mean? A character trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes people to behave in a certain way. This approach to the characterization of personality is one of the main theoretical directions in the study of personality. The theory of personality traits suggests that the personality of each individual person consists of individual dispositions.
Unlike other theories of personality - such as, for example, psychoanalytic or humanistic - the dispositional approach to the study of personality is focused on the differences between people. The combination and interaction of various traits in each person forms a personality unique in all respects. Trait theories aim to identify and possibly measure these individual characteristics personality.
Dispositional theory by Gordon Allport
In 1936, psychologist Gordon Allport discovered in one of his dictionaries in English over 4,000 words used to describe various personality traits. In his classification, he divided these traits into three groups (dispositions):
- Cardinal character traits- traits that dominate throughout the life of the individual; often to such an extent that a person becomes recognizable precisely because of these traits. People with pronounced features often become so famous that their names become synonymous with these qualities - hence such concepts as "narcissus", "alphonse", "don Juan", etc. appear in the language. Allport suggested that cardinal features are still rare and tend to show up later in life.
- Central character traits. These are common traits that form the basic foundations of personality. These, although not as pronounced as the cardinal ones, are the main characteristics that we can use to describe another person. "Smart", "honest", "shy" or "restless" are just examples of central traits.
- secondary features. They are most often associated with attitudes or preferences, usually appearing only in certain situations or under certain circumstances. Examples include the anxiety that a person has when they have to speak in front of a large audience, or the impatience that manifests itself while waiting in line.
Raymond Cattell's Sixteen Factor Model of Personality
One of the prominent psychologists in this area, Raymond Cattell, reduced the number of basic personality traits from more than 4000 (in Allport's original list) to 171 - mainly by eliminating atypical traits compiled by his predecessor, as well as combining the most general characteristics. Next, Cattell conducted an experiment - he asked the subjects to rate the people they knew using these signs. Then, using a statistical method known as factor analysis, he eventually narrowed down the list to just 16 top qualities. According to Cattell, these 16 traits are the source of all personality diversity. He also developed one of the most widely used methods for assessing a person's personality, the 16-Factor Personality Inventory (16PF).
Three personal dimensions of Hans Eysenck
Got something to say? Leave a comment!.
Personality Trait Theory: Basic Concepts and Principles
Cattell's theory seeks to explain the complex interactions between the personality system and the larger sociocultural matrix of a functioning organism. He is convinced that an adequate theory of personality must take into account the many traits that make up personality, the degree to which these traits are determined by heredity and environmental influences, and how genetic and environmental factors interact with each other, thereby influencing behavior. He argues that an adequate theory of the functioning and development of the personality must necessarily be based on rigorous research methods and accurate measurements. His favorite methods of studying personality are multivariate statistics and factor analysis.
According to Cattell, personality is what allows us to predict a person's behavior in a given situation (Cattell, 1965). Being a supporter of the mathematical analysis of personality, he was of the opinion that the prediction of behavior can be carried out through specification equations. The main formula used by Cattell to predict behavior with a certain degree of accuracy is:
It is said here that the nature of a person's specific response (R), meaning what he does, or thinks, or expresses in words, is some indefinite function (f) of the stimulating situation (S) at a particular moment in time and of the personality structure (P) . The specification equation shows that characteristic reaction on any situation is a function of the combination of all the features that are significant for this situation; with each trait interacting with situational factors that may affect it.
Cattell recognizes how difficult it is to predict the behavior of any person in a given situation. In order to increase the accuracy of the prediction, the personologist must consider not only the traits that the personality possesses, but also non-trait variables, such as the mood of the person at the moment and specific social roles required by the situation. Moreover, it is necessary to weigh each trait in terms of its significance in the situation under consideration. For example, if a person were in an emotionally exciting situation, then in predicting his response, the greatest weight should be attributed to such a trait as anxiety. Therefore, the equation R = f(S, P) is a simplified extract of Cattell's theory of personality traits. However, from a cognitive point of view, we must not forget that this main formula confirms Cattell's conviction that human behavior can be determined and predicted.
Structural Principles: Categories of Personality Traits
Despite Cattell's assertion that behavior is determined by the interaction of traits and situational variables, his main organizing concept of personality lies in descriptions of the various types of traits he has identified. According to Cattell, personality traits are relatively constant tendencies to respond in a certain way in different situations and at different times. The spectrum of action of these tendencies is extremely wide. In other words, traits are hypothetical mental structures found in behavior that cause a predisposition to act in the same way in different circumstances and over time. Personality traits reflect stable and predictable psychological characteristics and are by far the most important in Cattell's concept.
As noted earlier, Cattell relies heavily on factor analysis in his study of the structural elements of personality (Cattell, 1965, 1978). As a result of conducting multiple factor analysis procedures on data collected during the study of thousands of subjects, he concludes that personality traits can be classified or categorized in several ways. Consider Cattell's proposed principles for classifying traits (Kettel also uses the term factors).
Surface features are initial features.surface feature is a set of behavioral characteristics that, when observed, appear in an "inseparable" unity. For example, the observed manifestations of inability to concentrate, indecision and restlessness may be closely related to each other and constitute a superficial feature of neuroticism. Here neuroticism is confirmed by a set of interrelated visible elements, and not by any one of them. Since surface traits have no single basis and temporal permanence, Cattell does not consider them significant in explaining behavior.
Initial features, on the contrary, are the foundational structures that Cattell believes form the building blocks of the very building of personality. These are some combined values or factors that ultimately determine the constancy that is observed in human behavior. Source traits exist at a "deeper" level of personality and determine various forms of behavior over a long period of time.
After extensive research using factor analysis, Cattell (1979) came to the conclusion that the basic structure of personality is formed by approximately sixteen initial traits (Tables 6-3). These personality trait factors are probably better known in connection with the scale now used to measure them: Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF). This self-esteem scale, and several others also developed by Cattell, have proven to be extremely useful and popular in both applied and theoretical research. Below is a discussion of baseline traits assessed using the 16 PF Questionnaire.
Table 6-3. Main baseline traits identified using the Cattell Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire (16 PF)
| Factor notation | Name of the factor according to Cattell | Quality to match highly appreciated by factor | Quality corresponding to a low score on a factor |
| A | Responsiveness - aloofness | Good-natured, enterprising, cordial | Cynical, cruel, indifferent |
| B | Intelligence | Clever, abstract thinker | Stupid, concrete thinker |
| C | emotional resilience - emotional resilience | Mature, realistic, calm | Unstable, unrealistic, out of control |
| E | Dominance - subordination | Confident, competitive, stubborn | Shy, modest, submissive |
| F | Discretion - carelessness | Serious, silent | Carefree, enthusiastic |
| G | Consciousness - irresponsibility | Responsible, moralistic, stoic | Disregarding the rules, negligent, fickle |
| H | Courage - timidity | Enterprising, uninhibited | insecure, withdrawn |
| I | Hardness - softness | self-reliant, independent | Clinging to others, dependent |
| L | gullibility - suspicion | Accepting terms | Stubborn to the brink of stupidity |
| M | Dreaminess - practicality | creative, artistic | conservative, down to earth |
| N | Diplomacy - directness | Socially savvy, smart | Socially awkward, unpretentious |
| O | Tendency to fear - calmness | restless, preoccupied | Calm, complacent |
| Q1 | Radicalism - conservatism | free-thinking liberal | Respectful of traditional ideas |
| Q2 | Self-sufficiency - conformism | Preferring own decisions | Unquestioningly Following Others |
| Q3 | Indiscipline - controllability | Following your own impulses | Punctual |
| Q4 | Relaxation - tension | Restrained, calm | overworked, agitated |
(Source: adapted from Cattell, 1965.)
Constitutional traits are traits shaped by the environment. According to Cattell, the original traits can be divided into two subtypes - depending on their source. Constitutional features develop from the biological and physiological data of the individual. For example, recovering from a cocaine addiction can cause sudden irritability, depression, and anxiety. Cattell could argue that such behavior is a consequence of changes in human physiology and thus reflects constitutional original traits.
Traits shaped by the environment, on the contrary, are due to influences in the social and physical environment. These traits reflect the characteristics and behaviors learned through the learning process and form the pattern imprinted on the individual by their environment. So a man who grew up on a Midwestern farm behaves differently than a man who has spent his life in the slums of the city.
Ability, temperament and dynamic traits. The original features, in turn, can be classified in terms of the modality through which they are expressed. Capabilities how traits determine a person's skills and effectiveness in achieving a desired goal. Intelligence, musical ability, hand-eye coordination are some examples of abilities. Temperament traits refer to other emotional and stylistic qualities of behavior. For example, people can work on some task either quickly or slowly; they may react to some kind of crisis calmly or hysterically. Cattell considers temperament traits as constitutional initial traits that determine a person's emotionality. Finally, dynamic features reflect the motivational elements of human behavior. These are traits that activate and direct the subject towards specific goals. So, for example, a person can be characterized as ambitious, striving for power or interested in acquiring material wealth.
Common features are unique features. Like Allport, Cattell (1965) is convinced that it makes sense to classify traits into common and unique. common feature is a trait that is present to varying degrees in all members of the same culture. For example, self-esteem, intelligence, and introversion are common traits. On the contrary, unique features- these are traits that only a few or even one person has at all. Cattell suggests that unique traits are especially common in areas of interest and attitudes. For example, Sally is the only person to assemble a collection of reports of infant mortality in Sweden and Canada in 1930. Very few people, if any, would share this interest.
Almost all of Cattell's research is devoted to common features, but his recognition of unique features makes it possible to emphasize the importance of the unique individuality of people. He also believes that the organization of common features in a person is always unique in itself. However, we should not exaggerate the significance of Cattell's recognition of the uniqueness of the combination of traits in each individual person. In fact, he was much more interested in general principles of behavior than in the personality of a particular individual.
Data sources for factor analysis
We have already noted that Cattell emphasizes the importance of factor analysis for determining the main personality traits. However, before proceeding to the factor analysis procedure, you must first collect a lot of data on a huge sample. Cattell draws its data from three main sources: real life registration data (L - data), self-assessment data when filling out questionnaires (Q - data) and objective test data (OT - data).
First, L - data, are measures of behavior in specific everyday situations, such as school performance or peer relationships. These data may also include assessments of personality traits given by people who know the subject well in real life. life situations(for example, employees). Q - data - it is, on the contrary, a person's self-assessments concerning his behavior, thoughts and feelings. Such information reflects introspection and self-observation of the individual. To obtain Q - data, Cattell developed special self-assessment tests, of which most attention deserves the Sixteen Personality Factors questionnaire (Cattell et al., 1970). At the same time, he expresses certain doubts about this type of data: people do not always know themselves well enough, or they may intentionally distort or falsify answers. He warns researchers that self-reported data should be approached with caution. And finally OT - data are obtained as a result of modeling special situations in which the actions of a person to perform certain tasks can be objectively evaluated. Here, according to Cattell, distinctive feature is that a person is placed in invented "miniature situations", and he reacts without knowing by what criteria his answers are evaluated. For example, a person may be offered a Rorschach test that does not give the opportunity for any kind of fake. So, OT - data is hard to distort.
Identification of initial traits empirically. To reflect the complexity of the individual and create multifaceted research strategy, Cattell considers it necessary to use many sources of data. This approach simultaneously takes into account various manifestations of personality parameters, but it does not allow the researcher to manipulate variables. Cattell argues that if such a multifaceted study as factor analysis is indeed capable of reliably identifying functional blocks of personality, then the same factors or baseline traits can be obtained from the three different types of data mentioned above. This logical statement assumes that each data source actually measures common and fundamental personality traits.
Initially, Cattell subjected only L-data to factor analysis. He found 15 factors that seemed to best explain a person's personality. Then he and his colleagues tried to determine whether such factors would be derived from the Q-data. Literally thousands of questionnaire items were developed, which were proposed for completion of very a large number people, after which the data were subjected to factorization in order to determine the matching items. The result of this colossal research effort was 16 PF. The list of initial traits derived using "16 PF" is presented in Table. 6–3. In general, the factors found using the Q data were consistent with those found using the L data; only some of them turned out to be unique for both types of data. And in particular, the first 12 factors listed in Table. 6–3 occurred in both the Q-data and the L-data, while the last four factors derived from the Q-data did not match the L-data.
Concerning the degree of influence of personality traits on behavior, Cattell (1965) suggested that one trait is stronger than another if it has high loads in more patterns of behavioral manifestations (that is, a common set of traits that can be used to describe a person). Therefore, factor A (responsiveness - alienation) is the strongest feature listed in Table. 6-3, because it has a greater influence on the behavior of people in various situations than any other trait. Whether we are talking about such events as school performance, the effectiveness of secretarial work, the feat of a soldier or a successful marriage - in all these cases, factor A makes a very significant contribution to human activity. Situations in which factor B (intelligence) is involved are not so numerous; and even fewer in which factor C (emotional stability) plays a significant role, and so on, throughout the list. Therefore, the strength of a trait is determined by its significance for the regulation of behavior in various circumstances.
The role of heredity and the environment. Cattell's uniqueness as a scientist lies in the fact that he made an attempt to determine the comparative contribution of heredity and environment to the development of personality traits. To this end, he developed a statistical procedure - multidisciplinary abstract variant analysis(Multiple Abstract Variance Analysis, MAVA), which evaluates not only the presence or absence of genetic influence, but also the degree to which traits are determined by genetic or environmental influences (Cattell, 1960). This procedure involves the collection of data on the various manifestations of similarity between identical twins who grew up in the same family; between siblings (brothers and sisters) who grew up in the same family; identical twins raised in different families and siblings who grew up apart. The results of applying the MAVA technique (based on the use personality tests for assessing a particular personality trait) show that the significance of genetic and environmental influences varies significantly from trait to trait. For example, data indicate that about 65–70% of the variation in intelligence and self-confidence scores can be attributed to genetic factors, while genetic influences on traits such as self-awareness and neuroticism are likely to be half as large. . In general, according to Cattell, about two-thirds of personality characteristics are determined by environmental influences and one-third by heredity.
According to Cattell, in addition to the direct impact of situational factors, people's behavior is largely influenced by the groups to which they belong (family, church, peer groups, colleagues, school, nationality). By means of personality traits, one can describe not only individuals, but also social groups of which they are members. The range of traits by which groups can be objectively characterized is called their synthality(syntality). Using factor analysis, Cattell (1949) studied the synthality of various religious, educational, and occupational groups. He also studied the group of traits that make up the synthality of entire nations (Cattell et al., 1952). The main features that identify the synthality of countries include the size of its territory, morale, wealth and degree of industrialization. No other personologist has done as much as Cattell in the direction of describing in detail the traits that characterize society as a whole, as well as studying the influence of these traits on human behavior.
Final comments
In terms of the breadth and scope of research in the field of personality, no doubt, Cattell deserves recognition as the most outstanding personologist of our time. His scientific and research activities have touched on almost all aspects of personality theory - structure, development, motivation, psychopathology, mental health and change. His efforts to construct a theory based on precision measurement techniques are truly impressive. As one of his followers notes, Cattell is worthy of every admiration: "It should be noted that Cattell's original program in the study of personality was the result of an extremely rich theoretical system, which turned out to be much more fruitful for empirical research than any other theory" (Wiggins, 1984, p. .190). However, unfortunately, Cattell's theory did not receive due appreciation from many personologists who studied the personality of a person, and, in fact, remained little known to the general public. Critics point out that Cattell's writings are written in complex language and difficult to understand. There is also criticism of his excessive commitment to factor analysis, as well as the subjectivity of his proposed formulations, interpretations and names of the main features obtained by the statistical method. Despite the lack of attention to his work and some well-deserved reproaches against him, Cattell remains a staunch adherent of his approach, which, in all likelihood, will enable us to understand the structure and functions of personality. We hope that this brief review will serve as a stimulus for students to become more seriously acquainted with Cattell's theory. We especially recommend the work he wrote as a final year student at the university - "The Scientific Analysis of Personality" (Cattell, 1965).
Cattell is by no means the only personologist who has devoted himself to the study of the basic structure of personality traits. Hans Eysenck also used factor analysis to identify a range of aspects needed to explain human behavior. Below we consider the theory of trait types, which completes our review of the dispositional direction in personality theory.
From the book Integrative Psychotherapy author Alexandrov Artur AlexandrovichBasic Concepts Psychology of Relations When presenting his concept, VN Myasishchev adheres to the methodological principle of studying nature - the study of its objects in the process of their relationship with the outside world. It is natural that a person in his properties and
From the book Theory of Personality author Khjell LarryBasic Concepts Ellis divides cognitions into cold, warm, and hot. Cold cognitions are descriptive and involve relatively little or no feeling. Warm and hot conitions are estimates. Warm cognitions are
From the book Psychology and Pedagogy: Cheat Sheet author author unknownPsychoanalysis: Basic Concepts and Principles The term "psychoanalysis" has three meanings: 1) a theory of personality and psychopathology, 2) a method of therapy for personality disorders, and 3) a method of studying the unconscious thoughts and feelings of an individual. It is the connection of theory with therapy and with evaluation.
From the book Theory of Personality and personal growth author Frager RobertIndividual Psychology: Basic Concepts and Principles Adler was convinced that the main purpose of personality theory is to serve as an economical and useful guide for therapists, and by and large for any person on the path of change towards a psychologically more
From the book Perinatal Psychology author Sidorov Pavel IvanovichAnalytical Psychology: Basic Concepts and Principles different areas knowledge like psychology, philosophy, astrology, archaeology, mythology, theology and literature. This latitude
From the author's bookHumanistic theory: basic concepts and principles Fromm sought to expand the horizons of psychoanalytic theory, emphasizing the role of sociological, political, economic, religious and anthropological factors in the formation of personality. His interpretation
From the author's bookSociocultural Theory: Basic Concepts and Principles Horney's three main considerations served as the impetus for the formation of a sociocultural view of personality. First, she rejected Freud's statements about women, and especially his assertion that they
From the author's bookRaymond Cattell: structural theory personality traits Unlike many other theorists, Cattell did not begin with clinical observations or intuitions about human nature. On the contrary, his approach is firmly based on the use of exact empirical methods.
From the author's bookBasic concepts and principles of the theory of personality types The essence of Eysenck's theory is that personality elements can be arranged hierarchically. In his schema (Figure 6-4) there are certain super-traits or types, such as extraversion, that have a powerful
From the author's bookTheory social learning: basic concepts and principles The focus of Rotter's social learning theory is the prediction of human behavior in difficult situations. Rotter believes that the interaction of four variables needs to be carefully analyzed. These
From the author's bookPersonality Construct Theory: Basic Concepts and Principles Kelly's cognitive theory is based on the way in which individuals perceive and interpret the phenomena (or people) in their environment. Calling his approach personality construct theory, Kelly
From the author's book From the author's bookBasic concepts The main task of Rotter's theory of social learning is the prediction of purposeful human behavior in difficult situations. As an interactionist, Rotter believes that people interact with the environment that is meaningful to them (Rotter, 1982).
From the author's bookChapter 26. Raymond Cattell and the Factor Theory of Traits D. Chernyshev complete map possible properties human personality. It was he who first identified an almost exhaustive list of normal and
From the author's bookTrait Theory Cattell defined personality traits as "what makes it possible to predict a person's actions in a given situation" (1950, p. 2). How can such predictions be made most accurately? Cattell's answer is to measure and describe the source traits that
From the author's book1.1. Methodological principles and concepts in perinatal psychology Definition of science Perinatology originally arose as a science that G. Craig defined as a branch of medicine that studies the health, diseases and methods of treating children in a time perspective,
