LESSON 16: CATTELL: FACTOR ANALYTIC THEORY and MCCRAE AND  Surface Traits and Source Traits

COSTA’S FIVE FACTOR TRAIT THEORY
Overview of Factor Analytic Theory
 According to Cattell, factors, or traits, are the basic structural units
of personality. We all possess the common traits to some degree;
unique traits typify one or a few persons. Ability traits determine
how efficiently we work toward a goal. Temperament traits define
emotional style of behavior. Dynamic traits are concerned with
motivation.
 Raymond Cattell and Hans Eysenck have each used factor analysis to
identify traits (that is, relatively permanent dispositions of people).
Cattell has identified many personality traits, whereas Eysenck has
extracted only three general factors.
o Factor analysis - statistical technique based on correlations
between several measures, which may be explained in
terms of underlying factors.
 Cattell defined personality as "that which permits prediction of what
a person will do in a given situation." His interest in personality
theorizing was clearly oriented toward prediction.
o Surface traits – show a correlation but do not constitute a
factor because they are not determined by a single source;
composed of several elements; less stable and less
permanent; less important in describing personality
 Ex. several behavioral elements such as anxiety,
indecision, and irrational fear combine to form the
surface trait labeled neuroticism
o Source traits – Stable and permanent traits that are the
basic factors of personality, derived by the method of factor
analysis.
 Constitutional traits and Environmental-Mold Traits
o constitutional traits – depend on physiological
characteristics
o environmental-mold traits – learned from social and
environmental interactions.

Approach to Personality Traits

 Trait - relatively permanent reaction tendencies that are the basic

structural units of the personality.
 Common Traits and Unique Traits
o Common traits – possessed in some degree by all persons
 Intelligence, extraversion, gregariousness
o Unique traits – possessed by one or a few persons
 Ex. one person may have a consuming interest in
genealogy Source Traits
 Ability, Temperament, and Dynamic Traits
o Ability traits – describe our skills and how efficiently we will
be able to work toward our goals
o Temperament traits – describe our general behavioral style
in responding to our environment
o Dynamic traits – describe our motivations and interests
  T-data (personality traits) – derived from personality tests that are
resistant to faking
o Objective - Rorschach, the Thematic Apperception Test, and
the word-association test

16 PF (Personality Factor) Test

 based on the 16 major source traits

 intended for use with people 16 years of age and older and yields
Dynamic Traits
scores on each of the 16 scales
 Concerned with motivation  widely used to assess personality for research, clinical diagnosis, and
 2 kinds: predicting success on a job
o Ergs – permanent constitutional source traits that provide
Behavioral Genetics
energy for goal-directed behavior; basic innate units of
motivation  study of the relationship between genetic or hereditary factors and
 Anger, appeal, curiosity, disgust, gregariousness, personality traits
hunger, protection, security, self-assertion, self-
(nasa mods iba, tinatamad na ako huhu ux2 q n sleep)
submission, sex
o Sentiment – environmental mold source trait; derived from
external social and physical influences; pattern of learned
attitudes that focuses on an important aspect of life

Stages of Personality Development

Assessment in Cattell’s Theory

 L-data (Life records) - Life-record ratings of behaviors observed in

real-life situations, such as the classroom or office
 Q-data (questionnaire) – self-report questionnaire ratings of our
characteristics, attitudes, and interests