PSYC 370 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Neurology, Psychosis, Hans Eysenck
Document Summary
Trait theory traits: continuous measuring sticks along which people may be ordered according to the extent to which they possess each trait in question. Never had much influence but the influence of his ideas still lives on, specifically his concept of trait for allport personality was real - what the person really is. Dynamically organized the individual is a system of patterned uniqueness idiographic approach: study of individual person, stressing uniqueness of every individual. Nomothetic approach: as scientists we wish to find general laws applying to everyone. Concerned with the discovery and study of general scientific laws. Can observe traits in action by: frequency of behaviour range of situations in which the behaviour appears intensity of the behaviour. Common traits: characteristics of people individual traits: (or personal dispositions) attributes of individual. Cardinal dispositions: by which a person is distinctly recognizable. Central dispositions: often individuals have many of them. These are distinguishing traits and determine behaviour in different kinds of situations.