4510 Ch4 Trait Approach PDF

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1 Ch4 Trait Approach Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 are going to address the trait approach to personality psychology. This trait approach to personality psyc assumes that individuals differ in their characteristic patterns of thought, feeling and behavior. These patterns are called personality traits. Our language is full of personality trait terms (17,953) giving support to their importance and showing how people talk and think about each other, how they predict behavior and understand personality. Trait theorists try to measure and understand the ways in which people are psychologically different from one another, and in ways that allow individuals to be grouped according to these differences. Trait theorists like McCrae and Costa (90) believe there is little change in personality after age 30 years, and what change there is , is subtle. Personality traits are well-fixed by age 30. As for the consistency of personality, trait psychologists claim that people remain who they are even when the situation changes. This does not mean that the behavioral response is of the same intensity in every situation. A friendly person may not be as friendly in court as he/she is at a party, but will remain friendlier in court than a nonfriendly person. A cheerful person may not be very cheerful at a funeral but will be more cheerful than an overall glum personality at the same funeral....