Glossary
16 Personality Factors (16PF)
A personality test developed by Raymond Cattell that measures 16 different primary personality traits, such as warmth, emotional stability, and conscientiousness.
Example:
Taking the 16 Personality Factors questionnaire might reveal your specific scores on dimensions like dominance or liveliness.
Agreeableness (Big Five)
One of the Big Five traits, reflecting a person's compassion, cooperativeness, trustworthiness, and general concern for others.
Example:
A person high in Agreeableness is typically empathetic, enjoys helping others, and avoids conflict.
Big Five (OCEAN)
A widely accepted model of personality that describes five broad dimensions: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.
Example:
The Big Five model suggests that most personality differences can be captured by these five core traits, from how imaginative you are to how emotionally stable.
Cardinal Traits
Dominant traits that define and shape a person's entire life, often becoming synonymous with their identity.
Example:
Mother Teresa's profound altruism was a Cardinal Trait, influencing every aspect of her existence.
Central Traits
General characteristics that form the foundation of an individual's personality, typically numbering between 5 and 10.
Example:
Being kind, honest, and outgoing are examples of Central Traits that describe many people's fundamental character.
Conscientiousness (Big Five)
One of the Big Five traits, reflecting a person's organization, self-discipline, dutifulness, and achievement-striving.
Example:
Someone high in Conscientiousness would likely be punctual, meticulous in their work, and always follow through on commitments.
Extroversion (Big Five)
One of the Big Five traits, reflecting a person's sociability, assertiveness, energy level, and tendency to seek stimulation from others.
Example:
Someone high in Extroversion would likely be the life of the party, enjoying large social gatherings and initiating conversations.
Extroversion (Eysenck's dimension)
One of Eysenck's personality dimensions, describing the degree to which a person is outgoing, sociable, and seeks external stimulation.
Example:
Someone high in Extroversion might thrive at a large party, enjoying the social interaction and lively atmosphere.
Extroverted (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual is energized by social interaction and focuses their energy outward.
Example:
A person with an Extroverted preference in the MBTI might prefer brainstorming ideas in a group rather than alone.
Factor Analysis
A statistical method used to identify clusters of related items (traits) on a personality test, simplifying complex data into fewer dimensions.
Example:
Researchers used Factor Analysis to discover that traits like 'sociable,' 'talkative,' and 'assertive' often group together, suggesting an underlying dimension like extroversion.
Feeling (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual makes decisions based on personal values, harmony, and the impact on others.
Example:
A person with a Feeling preference would likely prioritize maintaining good relationships when making a difficult decision.
Gordon Allport
A pioneering trait theorist who emphasized the uniqueness of individuals and categorized traits into cardinal, central, and secondary types.
Example:
Gordon Allport would have been fascinated by how a person's core values, like honesty, consistently shape their daily decisions.
Hans Eysenck
A trait theorist who proposed that personality could be understood through three main dimensions: Extroversion, Neuroticism, and Psychoticism.
Example:
Hans Eysenck might have used a questionnaire to place someone on a spectrum from highly stable to highly neurotic.
Humanistic Theory
A personality theory that emphasizes inherent human goodness, free will, and the drive towards self-actualization and personal growth.
Example:
A Humanistic Theory perspective would focus on an individual's potential for growth and their striving to become the best version of themselves.
Introverted (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual is energized by solitude and focuses their energy inward.
Example:
Someone with an Introverted preference in the MBTI might need quiet time alone to recharge after a busy day.
Intuition (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual focuses on patterns, possibilities, and abstract concepts.
Example:
Someone with an Intuition preference might enjoy discussing future trends and theoretical ideas more than current events.
Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs
The mother-daughter duo who developed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) based on Carl Jung's theories of psychological types.
Example:
Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs aimed to help people understand their own preferences and how they interact with the world.
Judging (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual prefers structure, planning, and a decisive, organized approach to life.
Example:
A person with a Judging preference would likely create a detailed itinerary for a trip and stick to it.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
A self-report questionnaire designed to indicate different psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions, categorizing individuals into 16 types.
Example:
Taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator might reveal that you are an 'INFP,' suggesting specific preferences for introversion, intuition, feeling, and perceiving.
Neuroticism (Big Five)
One of the Big Five traits, reflecting a person's tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, and depression.
Example:
A high score in Neuroticism might mean you are prone to worrying, easily stressed, and experience frequent mood swings.
Neuroticism (Eysenck's dimension)
One of Eysenck's personality dimensions, reflecting an individual's emotional stability or instability, often characterized by anxiety and mood swings.
Example:
A person high in Neuroticism might frequently worry about small things and experience intense emotional reactions to stress.
Nomothetic Approach
An approach to personality that seeks to identify general laws or principles that apply to all individuals, often by studying groups.
Example:
Eysenck's search for universal personality dimensions like extroversion and neuroticism exemplifies a Nomothetic Approach.
Openness (Big Five)
One of the Big Five traits, reflecting a person's imagination, curiosity, intellectual curiosity, and willingness to try new experiences.
Example:
A high score in Openness might mean you love exploring new cultures, trying exotic foods, and reading philosophical books.
Paul Costa and Robert McCrae
The researchers who developed and extensively researched the Big Five personality traits, a widely accepted model of personality.
Example:
Paul Costa and Robert McCrae provided strong empirical evidence for the existence and universality of the OCEAN traits.
Perceiving (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual prefers flexibility, spontaneity, and an adaptable approach to life.
Example:
Someone with a Perceiving preference might enjoy leaving their travel plans open-ended to allow for spontaneous adventures.
Psychoanalytic Theory
A personality theory, primarily associated with Sigmund Freud, that emphasizes the influence of unconscious drives, childhood experiences, and unresolved conflicts on personality development.
Example:
According to Psychoanalytic Theory, a person's excessive neatness might stem from an unresolved conflict during their toilet-training stage.
Psychodynamic Theory
A broad term for theories that emphasize the dynamic interplay of conscious and unconscious motives and conflicts in shaping personality, including but not limited to Freud's psychoanalysis.
Example:
A Psychodynamic Theory approach might explore how early attachment experiences with caregivers influence an adult's relationship patterns.
Psychoticism (Eysenck's dimension)
One of Eysenck's personality dimensions, measuring a person's level of tough-mindedness, impulsivity, and antisocial tendencies.
Example:
Individuals scoring high on Psychoticism might exhibit a disregard for social norms and a tendency towards aggression.
Raymond Cattell
A trait theorist who used factor analysis to identify 16 primary personality factors, which he measured with the 16PF questionnaire.
Example:
Raymond Cattell believed that by measuring these 16 factors, he could create a comprehensive profile of an individual's personality.
Sensing (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual focuses on concrete facts, details, and practical realities.
Example:
A person with a Sensing preference would likely notice all the specific ingredients in a dish rather than just its overall flavor.
Social-Cognitive Theory
A personality theory that emphasizes the interaction between our traits, our thoughts (cognition), and our social context in shaping behavior.
Example:
According to Social-Cognitive Theory, a student's confidence in public speaking is influenced by their past experiences, their belief in their own abilities, and the supportive or unsupportive environment.
Thinking (MBTI)
An MBTI preference indicating that an individual makes decisions based on logic, objective analysis, and facts.
Example:
Someone with a Thinking preference would likely analyze the pros and cons of a situation dispassionately before deciding.
Trait Theories
Psychological perspectives that describe personality as a collection of stable, enduring characteristics or dispositions that influence behavior across different situations.
Example:
A psychologist using Trait Theories might describe someone as consistently optimistic and organized, believing these are fundamental aspects of their personality.