PSYCH-220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Consistency, Psych
20 Jun 2020
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Document Summary
Trait approach: most research within trait approach relies on correlational design. Traits should be able to predict behavior: focus is on individual differences. Strength: assesses and attempts to understand how people differ. Weakness: neglects aspects of personality common to all people and how each person is unique. Every man is in certain respects (a) like all other men, (b) like some other men, (c) like no other man. Personality traits are not the only factors that control behavior. People differ in how consistent they are. Does not make sense to think of personality in a broad sense. Belief that behavior is largely driven by the situation, and that personality is relatively unimportant. Situations are more important than personality traits in determining behavior. There is an upper limit to how well one can predict what a person will do based on any measurement of that person"s personality, and this upper limit is low.
