Gordon Allport-Trait Theory Flashcards
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What are the major assumptions of Trait Theory?
Dispositions (traits) are stable and enduring; there is constancy; dispositions have generality; individuals differ in their dispositions.
These assumptions help explain the consistency of behavior across different situations.
Who is Gordon Allport?
Gordon Allport (1897-1967) was the founder of the trait perspective in personality psychology, an academic psychologist, and an early humanistic psychologist.
He was also known for his advocacy for social justice in psychology.
What criticisms did Allport have towards other psychological perspectives?
He criticized psychodynamic and behavioral theories, emphasizing the focus on healthy adults rather than children or animals.
He believed that qualitative differences exist between healthy adults and other groups.
Define ‘trait’ in the context of personality.
A trait is a predisposition that renders a number of stimuli functionally equivalent.
It influences how a person responds to various stimuli.
What are the characteristics of traits?
- Traits have heuristic realism
- Traits are more generalized than habits
- Traits are dynamic and determine behavior
These characteristics help in understanding personality.
What is a Cardinal Trait?
An extremely pervasive trait that reduces a large number of stimuli to functional equivalence; a master motive.
If a person has one cardinal trait, they typically have only one.
What are Central Traits?
Somewhat less pervasive traits that render a number of stimuli functionally equivalent, typically around 5-7 are needed to explain a person.
Central traits are important for understanding personality.
What are Secondary Traits?
Much less conspicuous traits that show less generalized patterns of response to individual stimuli.
They still represent consistent patterns of response.
What is the Nomothetic Approach?
An approach that studies common traits across individuals.
It contrasts with the Idiographic Approach, which focuses on individual traits.
What is the Idiographic Approach?
An approach that focuses on the uniqueness of individual traits and personal dispositions.
It emphasizes individual differences in personality.
What is the Proprium according to Allport?
The part of personality that develops over time and organizes traits and behaviors, similar to the concept of ‘ego’ or ‘self’.
It contributes to a sense of inner unity and organization.
What are the stages of Proprium development in childhood?
- Bodily Self
- Self-Identity
- Self-Esteem
These stages mark the emergence of self-awareness and evaluation.
What are Propriate Motives?
Motives that seek tension increase and are teleological, defining characteristics of healthy adults.
They differ from peripheral motives that seek immediate gratification.
What is Functional Autonomy?
A developmental discontinuity of motivation where adult motives become independent of their origins.
It highlights the motivation of healthy adults separate from past influences.
What are the six components of a healthy adult personality according to Allport?
- Extension of the sense of self
- Warm human interaction
- Self-acceptance
- Realistic perception of reality
- Self-objectification
- Unifying philosophy of life
These components define positive personality development.
