PSYB30H3 Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Document Summary
Chapter 4: personality traits: fundamental concepts and issues. Individual differences between people in characteristic thoughts, feelings, behaviours. 4 positions of nature of traits: traits literally exist in central nervous system, allport call neuropsychic structures , traits exists as dispositions that exert a significant impact on behaviours. both view traits as causal mechanisms in human functioning. traits are behaviour, not influence behaviour: traits do not exist in any objective sense, even in sense of act categories. both argue traits do not really cause behaviour but exist instead as convenient categories for describing the behaviours that people show. easy going, affable, very desiring of social approval, oriented toward relaxation and comfort: ectomorph- thin and boney, underdevelopment of fat and muscle. restraint, privacy, introversion, self-consciousness: mesomorph- muscular, not round or skinny. Gordon allport: traits are major structural units of personality- account for consistency and coherence of human behaviour.