Psychology – Theories of Personality
Study Guide
Western Mindanao State University
I. Overview of Factor Analytic Theory
Raymond Cattell and Hans Eysenck have each used factor analysis to identify traits (that is,
relatively permanent dispositions of people). Cattell has identified a large number of personality
traits, whereas Eysenck has extracted only three general factors.
II. Biography of Raymond B. Cattell
Raymond B. Cattell was born in England in 1905, educated at the University of London, but
spent most of his professional career in the United States. He held positions at Columbia
University, Clark University, Harvard University, and the University of Illinois, where he spent
most of his active career. During the last 20 years of his life, he was associated with the Hawaii
School of Professional Psychology. He died in 1998, a few weeks short of his 93rd birthday.
III.Basics of Factor Analysis
Factor analysis is a mathematical procedure for reducing a large number of scores to a few more
general variables or factors. Correlations of the original, specific scores with the factors are
called factor loadings. Traits generated through factor analysis may be either unipolar (scaled
from zero to some large amount) or bipolar (having two opposing poles, such as introversion
and extraversion). For factors to have psychological meaning, the analyst must rotate the axes
on which the scores are plotted. Eysenck used an orthogonal rotation whereas Cattell favored an
oblique rotation. The oblique rotation procedure ordinarily results in more traits than the
orthogonal method.
IV. Introduction to Cattell’s Trait Theory
Cattell used an inductive approach to identify traits; that is, he began with a large body of data
that he collected with no preconceived hypothesis or theory.
A. P Technique
Cattell’s P technique is a correlational procedure that uses measures collected from one person
on many different occasions and is his attempt to measure individual or unique, rather than
common, traits. Cattell also used the dR (differential R) technique, which correlates the scores
of a large number of people on many variables obtained at two different occasions. By
combining these two techniques, Cattell has measure both states (temporary conditions within
an individual) and traits (relatively permanent dispositions of an individual).
B. Media of Observation
Cattell used three different sources of data that enter the correlation matrix: (1) L data, or a
person’s life record that comes from observations made by others (2) Q data, which are based
on questionnaires; and (3) T data, or information obtained from objective tests.
V. Source Traits
Source traits refer to the underlying factor or factors responsible for the intercorrelation among
surface traits. They can be distinguished from trait indicators, or surface traits.
VI. Personality Traits
, Personality traits include both common traits (shared by many people) and unique traits
(peculiar to one individual). Personality traits can also be classified into temperament,
motivation (dynamic) and ability.
A. Temperament Traits
Temperament traits are concerned with how a person behaves. Of the 35 primary or first-order
traits Cattell has identified, all but one (intelligence) is basically a temperament trait. Of the 23
normal traits, 16 were obtained through Q media and compose Cattell’s famous 16 PF scale.
The additional seven factors that make up the 23 normal traits were originally identified only
through L data. Cattell believed that pathological people have the same 23 normal traits as other
people, but in addition, they exhibit one or more of 12 abnormal traits. Also, a person’s
pathology may simply be due to a normal trait that is carried to an extreme.
B. Second-Order Traits
The 35 primary source traits tend to cluster together, forming eight clearly identifiable second-
order traits. The two strongest of the second-order traits might be called
extraversion/introversion and anxiety.
VII. Dynamic Traits
In addition to temperament traits, Cattell recognized motivational or dynamic traits, which
include attitudes, ergs and sems.
A. Attitudes
An attitude refers to a specific course of action, or desire to act, in response to a given situation.
Motivation is usually quite complex, so that a network of motives, or dynamic lattice, is
ordinarily involved with an attitude. In addition, a subsidiation chain, or a complex set od
subfoals, underlies motivation.
B. Ergs
Ergs are innate drives or motives, such as sex, hunger, loneliness, pity, fear, curiosity, pride,
sensuousness, anger and greed that humans share with other primates.
C. Sems
Sems are learned or acquired dynamic traits that can satify several ergs at the same tome. The
self-sentiment is the most imporntan sem in that it integrates the other sems.
D. The Dynamic Lattice
The dynamic lattice is a complex network of attitudes, ergs, and sems underlying a person’s
motivational structure.
VIII. Genetic Basis of Traits
Cattell and his colleagues provided estimates of heritability of the various source traits.
Heritability is an estimate of the extent to which the variance of a given traits is due to heredity.
Cattell has found a relatively high heritability values for both fluid intelligence (the ability to
adapt to new material) and crystallized intelligence (which depends on prior learning),
suggesting that intelligence is due more to heredity than to environment.
Study Guide
Western Mindanao State University
I. Overview of Factor Analytic Theory
Raymond Cattell and Hans Eysenck have each used factor analysis to identify traits (that is,
relatively permanent dispositions of people). Cattell has identified a large number of personality
traits, whereas Eysenck has extracted only three general factors.
II. Biography of Raymond B. Cattell
Raymond B. Cattell was born in England in 1905, educated at the University of London, but
spent most of his professional career in the United States. He held positions at Columbia
University, Clark University, Harvard University, and the University of Illinois, where he spent
most of his active career. During the last 20 years of his life, he was associated with the Hawaii
School of Professional Psychology. He died in 1998, a few weeks short of his 93rd birthday.
III.Basics of Factor Analysis
Factor analysis is a mathematical procedure for reducing a large number of scores to a few more
general variables or factors. Correlations of the original, specific scores with the factors are
called factor loadings. Traits generated through factor analysis may be either unipolar (scaled
from zero to some large amount) or bipolar (having two opposing poles, such as introversion
and extraversion). For factors to have psychological meaning, the analyst must rotate the axes
on which the scores are plotted. Eysenck used an orthogonal rotation whereas Cattell favored an
oblique rotation. The oblique rotation procedure ordinarily results in more traits than the
orthogonal method.
IV. Introduction to Cattell’s Trait Theory
Cattell used an inductive approach to identify traits; that is, he began with a large body of data
that he collected with no preconceived hypothesis or theory.
A. P Technique
Cattell’s P technique is a correlational procedure that uses measures collected from one person
on many different occasions and is his attempt to measure individual or unique, rather than
common, traits. Cattell also used the dR (differential R) technique, which correlates the scores
of a large number of people on many variables obtained at two different occasions. By
combining these two techniques, Cattell has measure both states (temporary conditions within
an individual) and traits (relatively permanent dispositions of an individual).
B. Media of Observation
Cattell used three different sources of data that enter the correlation matrix: (1) L data, or a
person’s life record that comes from observations made by others (2) Q data, which are based
on questionnaires; and (3) T data, or information obtained from objective tests.
V. Source Traits
Source traits refer to the underlying factor or factors responsible for the intercorrelation among
surface traits. They can be distinguished from trait indicators, or surface traits.
VI. Personality Traits
, Personality traits include both common traits (shared by many people) and unique traits
(peculiar to one individual). Personality traits can also be classified into temperament,
motivation (dynamic) and ability.
A. Temperament Traits
Temperament traits are concerned with how a person behaves. Of the 35 primary or first-order
traits Cattell has identified, all but one (intelligence) is basically a temperament trait. Of the 23
normal traits, 16 were obtained through Q media and compose Cattell’s famous 16 PF scale.
The additional seven factors that make up the 23 normal traits were originally identified only
through L data. Cattell believed that pathological people have the same 23 normal traits as other
people, but in addition, they exhibit one or more of 12 abnormal traits. Also, a person’s
pathology may simply be due to a normal trait that is carried to an extreme.
B. Second-Order Traits
The 35 primary source traits tend to cluster together, forming eight clearly identifiable second-
order traits. The two strongest of the second-order traits might be called
extraversion/introversion and anxiety.
VII. Dynamic Traits
In addition to temperament traits, Cattell recognized motivational or dynamic traits, which
include attitudes, ergs and sems.
A. Attitudes
An attitude refers to a specific course of action, or desire to act, in response to a given situation.
Motivation is usually quite complex, so that a network of motives, or dynamic lattice, is
ordinarily involved with an attitude. In addition, a subsidiation chain, or a complex set od
subfoals, underlies motivation.
B. Ergs
Ergs are innate drives or motives, such as sex, hunger, loneliness, pity, fear, curiosity, pride,
sensuousness, anger and greed that humans share with other primates.
C. Sems
Sems are learned or acquired dynamic traits that can satify several ergs at the same tome. The
self-sentiment is the most imporntan sem in that it integrates the other sems.
D. The Dynamic Lattice
The dynamic lattice is a complex network of attitudes, ergs, and sems underlying a person’s
motivational structure.
VIII. Genetic Basis of Traits
Cattell and his colleagues provided estimates of heritability of the various source traits.
Heritability is an estimate of the extent to which the variance of a given traits is due to heredity.
Cattell has found a relatively high heritability values for both fluid intelligence (the ability to
adapt to new material) and crystallized intelligence (which depends on prior learning),
suggesting that intelligence is due more to heredity than to environment.
