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Essay on Trait Factor Theory
According to trait theory, personality can be broken down into a limited number of traits, which are present in each individual to a greater or lesser degree. This approach is highly compatible with the quantitative psychometric approach to personality testing, especially the use of factor analysis to summarize the results of such tests. The factors are readily conceptualized as measurements of traits (Eysenck, 1991). Correspondingly, trait theory has come under attack from those who preferred a more qualitative, intuitive approach to personality analysis, and psychometrically inclined personality theorists are often accused of reifying as traits measurements that are simply mathematical abstractions.
In general personality theory, the traits discussed tend to be broad tendencies such as extraversion or neuroticism. Within specific fields or applications of psychology, more specific traits have been discussed. For example, there was an early trait theory of leadership that went through several conceptual stages through different researchers. Eventually, six traits were distinguished that were correlated with strong leadership ability:
- knowledge of the task
- intelligence
- drive
- desire to lead
- honesty
- self-confidence
More recently, a number of researchers have been using the latest in computer technology to redo the work that Eysenck and other earlier researchers did in far more laborious ways. This has lead to what is known as the "big five" or the "five factor" theory. The first dimension is, again, extraversion-introversion.
The second is usually called emotional stability, and is simply the reverse of Eysenck's neuroticism. The third is called agreeableness. A high score means that you tend to be friendly and accommodating -- a nice person. You don't need to be extraverted: I am an introvert, but I score high on agreeableness. If you score low, you are likely to be more idiosyncratic and have trouble getting along with people. This is not entirely negative: Agreeable people often get their nice reputation by by conforming and compromising......
