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Block 3 Unit 2 Raymond Cattell: A Trait Theory of Personality

1. Describe in detail Cattell’s trait theory of personality.

Cattell's theory states that personality is composed of traits that are organized into surface and source traits. It uses a statistical method to identify these underlying source traits.

Cattell's theory uses factor analysis to identify 16 source traits and viewed these traits as the basic units of personality. His approach emphasizes quantitative methods and statistical analysis.

2. Define Ability traits, temperament and dynamic traits.

Ability traits determine effectiveness in pursuing goals, temperament traits involve emotional tendencies, and dynamic traits activate and direct a person's behaviour towards particular goals.

3. What do you understand by the terms common and unique traits?

Common traits are shared by people, whereas unique traits are specific to a person.

4. How do Allport and Cattell differ in their approaches to classify personality traits?

Allport emphasised individual traits, while Cattell emphasised common traits found through factor analysis.

5. How does Cattell conceptualise “trait”. To what extent, if any, he agrees that traits interact with situations to determine behaviour?

Cattell conceptualized traits as basic units of personality, focusing on identifying underlying source traits through statistical analysis. The sources do not discuss his view on interaction of traits with situations but it does include his formulation that a person's response depends on the situation.

6. Give details of 16 PF as put forward by Cattell.

Cattell's 16PF is a self-report questionnaire that aims to measure source traits of personality using data collected by a questionnaire.

7. Define ability, temperament and dynamic traits.

Ability traits determine skill in pursuing goals, temperament traits involve emotional tendencies, and dynamic traits activate and direct behaviour.

8. Describe with suitable examples common and unique traits.

Common traits are those shared by many people, such as extraversion, while unique traits are specific to a single individual.

9. What are the two types of Intelligence as put forward by Cattell? Theory of Personality

Cattell's Two Types of Intelligence

Cattell distinguished between two types of intelligence:

• Fluid intelligence is the ability to learn new things and solve problems regardless of past experience.
• Crystallised intelligence is the ability to solve problems based on previous experience. Cattell believed that intelligence was primarily an inherited trait.

10. Define and describe ERGs and SEMs

ERGs and SEMs

• ERGs (innate goals): ERGs are innate goals or basic motivations that drive humans, like curiosity, hunger, anger, and fear. They are found in both humans and primates.

  • Cattell developed a list of ERGs, including food-seeking, mating, gregariousness, parental protectiveness, exploration, safety, self-assertion, pugnacity, narcissistic sex, and acquisitiveness.

• SEMs (Socially shaped ergic models): SEMs are socially shaped ergic models, and examples include profession, family and home, spouse, and religion. SEMs get their energy from ERGs.

11. How does Cattell use ERGs and SEMs in his theory of Personality?

According to Cattell, ERGs and SEMs interact with attitudes to produce behaviour. By systematically identifying a person's attitudes, ERGs, and SEMs, one should be able to reliably predict future behaviour.

12. Define and elucidate Rs = f ( S,P).

Rs = f ( S,P)

The formula Rs = f (S,P) is a specification equation put forward by Cattell to predict behaviour. It means that a person's specific response (Rs) to a given situation is a function of both:

• S (Stimulus Situation): The situational factors.
• P (Personality): All the combined traits relevant to that situation.

This equation also considers that each trait is interacting with situational factors that may affect it. The equation shows that personality is not the only factor that influences behaviour but also the situational factors also plays an important role. The formula includes an emphasis on weighting each trait according to its relevance to the situation. The more emotionally arousing a situation is, for example, the higher the weight of the anxiety trait in predicting the response.

13. What are the different categories of traits?

Categories of Traits Cattell classified traits in several ways:

• Surface Traits: Observable qualities of a personality that tend to cluster together, such as kindness, honesty, helpfulness, and generosity. Surface traits are not considered to have a unitary basis and are not consistent over time.
• Source Traits: Underlying, basic, and stable personality factors which determine consistencies in behaviour. These traits exist at a deeper level and are the causes of behaviour.
• Constitutional Traits: Traits that are determined by biology and nature.
• Environmental Mold Traits: Traits that are determined by nurture and experiences gained from interactions with the environment.
• Ability Traits: Traits that determine a person's skill and effectiveness in pursuing goals, like intelligence.
• Temperament Traits: Traits that refer to emotional and stylistic qualities of behaviour. Examples include being moody, irritable, or easygoing.
• Dynamic Traits: Traits that concern a person's motivation and interests, such as being power-seeking or ambitious. These include attitudes, ergs, and sentiments.
• Common Traits: Generalised dispositions that allow comparison across individuals within a given culture.
• Unique Traits: Characteristics peculiar to the individual that do not permit comparison among individuals.

14. What is a source trait and a surface trait?

Source vs. Surface Traits

• Surface Traits: These are observable qualities or behaviours that appear to cluster together. These traits are often observed on the surface, do not have a unitary basis, and are not consistent over time. An example could be restlessness, indecisiveness, and an inability to concentrate.
• Source Traits: Source traits are the underlying, stable, and basic factors of personality that are consistent over time. They are the root cause of surface traits.

15. Put forward the 16 personality factors. How did Cattell arrive at these traits?

16 Personality Factors

Cattell identified 16 source traits, which he used to develop the 16 Personality Factors (16PF) questionnaire. The 16 factors are:

1. Reserved vs Outgoing
2. Less intelligent vs More intelligent
3. Emotional vs Stable
4. Humble vs Assertive
5. Sober vs Happy-go-lucky
6. Expedient vs Conscientious
7. Shy vs Venturesome
8. Tough-minded vs Tender-minded
9. Trusting vs Suspicious
10. Practical vs Imaginative
11. Forthright vs Shrewd
12. Placid vs Apprehensive
13. Conservative vs Experimenting
14. Group-tied vs Self-sufficient
15. Casual vs Controlled
16. Relaxed vs Tense

Cattell arrived at these traits through factor analysis, a statistical method used to identify clusters of correlated variables. He gathered data using life records, self-reports, and questionnaires, then used factor analysis to find common clusters, which he termed source traits.

16. Define and describe L data, Q data and OT data. How are these contributing to personality?

L-data, Q-data and OT-data Cattell used three types of data to identify source traits:

• L-data (Life Record Data): Involves measuring behaviour in real-life, everyday situations, such as school performance or interactions with peers.
• Q-data (Questionnaire Data): Data from self-report questionnaires about behaviour, feelings, or thoughts. This includes the 16PF questionnaire, which measures the 16 source traits.
• OT-data (Objective Test Data): Data from performance on tasks that are objectively scored, such as responding to an inkblot test.

These three types of data contribute to understanding personality by providing different perspectives and information. L-data gives a real-world view, Q-data offers insight into the person's self-perception, and OT-data provides objective performance measures, resistant to faking.

17. What is syntality and how does Cattell use the same in explaining group traits?

Syntality

Syntality refers to the trait dimensions along which groups can be objectively described. Cattell used factor analysis to study the syntality of various groups, including religious, school, and peer groups. He also studied traits that make up the syntality of entire nations, which included size, morale, affluence, and industriousness.

Cattell used syntality to understand how the defining characteristics of groups can influence the personalities of individuals within those groups.