PSYC121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Gordon Allport, Unearth, Trait Theory
Document Summary
Nomothetic traits - trait units that can be applied to all people. Idiographic traits - trait units that are unique to the individual. Aims of trait theory: to identify the basic variables or traits which explain human personality, to determine which traits most usefully distinguish between people, to successfully measure these traits and capture each person. A trait is a disposition towards behaving in a certain way. It is generally consistent over time and situations. Some traits also incorporate thoughts, feelings and motives as well as behaviour (mccrae. Traits were defined as a predisposition to respond in a particular way to a broad range of situations. Each person has a certain expressive and adaptive style that they bring to the situation. Allport believed that traits have an actual physical location in the nervous system. He inferred this existence because of consistency of behaviour.
