PSYCH 2B03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Walter Mischel, Trait Theory, Personality Psychology
7 Dec 2018
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The trait approach: all research within the trait approach relies on correlational designs. The trait approach focusses exclusively on individual differences. The trait approach neglects aspects of psychology common to all people, as well as the ways in which each person is unique. The trait approach to personality begins by assuming that individuals differ in their characteristic patterns of thought, feelings and behaviour-these patterns are called personality traits. People are inconsistent: classifying people according to traits raises an important problem-people are inconsistent. Some psychologists have suggested that people are so inconsistent in their behaviour from one situation to the next that it is not worthwhile to characterize them in terms of personality traits: ex. This may be because older adults are more consistent across situations than younger people. The controversy over this issue is called the person-situation debate. The person-situation debate asks the question which is more important in determining behaviour, the person or the situation? .
