Trait Theory

According to psychology, Trait theory is a chief overture to the study of human personality. Trait theorists are principally concerned in the quantity of traits, which can be explained as regular models of behavior, thought, and emotion. Traits are rather stable over time but differ among individuals.

One of the earliest trait theories was established by Carl Jung an associate of Sigmund Freud.   Jung felt that one of the characteristic traits was inborn and they are called temperaments.

A trait is a feature in which an individual identifies feels, believes, or acts.  It is also casually used to describe someone. Psychologists, are very interested in traits. They are particularly concerned in finding which traits are wide and possibly hereditarily based.

The traits are seen as opposites, and they are introversion and extraversion. 

• Introversion denotes to a tendency to wish the world inside oneself.  The more obvious features of introversion are shyness, distaste for social functions, and a love of privacy.
• Extraversion is the tendency to view to the outside world, particularly people, for one's pleasures.  Extraverts are generally sociable and they enjoy social activities, but they don't like to be alone.

Hans Eysenck was the first psychologist to formulate this trait or temperament into something more mathematical:  He used exceptional statistics called factor analysis to figure out what factors - trait dimensions - carry the most weight.  The results of this work were taken and a test was produced called the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).

In recent times, various researchers have been using the most modern computer technology to redo the work that Eysenck and other previous researchers worked in more difficult ways.  This gave way to the "big five" or the "five factor" theory.

The first aspect is extraversion-introversion.

The second element is usually called emotional stability, and is plainly the opposite of Eysenck's neuroticism.

The third feature is called agreeableness.  A high mark in the test means that the person tends to be friendly and accommodating.

The fourth is conscientiousness.  This is equivalent to Jung's judging and perceiving. 

The fifth feature comes with numerous labels, such as culture, openness to experience, or just openness.

Questions:

• Define introvert and extrovert?
• What is big five?