Raymond Cattell
Life highlights
- Parents’ expectations
• Parents have standards but gave them freedom during their spare time
- Witness of WWII soldiers being brought to a medical facility near their house
• Witnessing it made him unusually serious
- Studied physics, chemistry, and psychology (social life skills)
- Studied and worked under Spearman
- Taught in different schools and ultimately settled at University of Illinois and published a lot
- Became a graduate faculty in University of Hawaii
Approach to Personality Traits
- Use of inductive method
• Started with data
• Used three different media of observation: L-, Q-, and T-data
- Use of factor analysis (like Allport)
• Many observations (data) from individuals
• Investigating relationships among measured variables
Trait – relatively permanent reaction tendencies that are basic structural units of personality
Classsification of traits:
1. Common traits vs. Unique traits
• Common – possessed in some degree by all persons (e.g. intelligence, extraversion,
gregariousness)
• Unique – possessed by one or a few persons; apparent in interest and attitudes
2. Source traits vs. Surface traits
• 16 basic source traits: the building block of personality
3. Constitutional traits vs. Environmental-mold traits
4. Ability, temperament and dynamic traits
Source traits
- The underlying variables that seem to determine the surface manifestations
- Stable and permanent traits that are the basic factors of personality derived from factor analysis
Classification of source traits
1. Constitutional traits
• Depend on physiological characteristics
• Originate in biological conditions but are not necessarily innate
2. Environmental-mold traits
a. Learned from social and environmental interactions
b. Learned characteristics and behaviors that impose a pattern on personality
c. Nature and nurture
According to modality:
Life highlights
- Parents’ expectations
• Parents have standards but gave them freedom during their spare time
- Witness of WWII soldiers being brought to a medical facility near their house
• Witnessing it made him unusually serious
- Studied physics, chemistry, and psychology (social life skills)
- Studied and worked under Spearman
- Taught in different schools and ultimately settled at University of Illinois and published a lot
- Became a graduate faculty in University of Hawaii
Approach to Personality Traits
- Use of inductive method
• Started with data
• Used three different media of observation: L-, Q-, and T-data
- Use of factor analysis (like Allport)
• Many observations (data) from individuals
• Investigating relationships among measured variables
Trait – relatively permanent reaction tendencies that are basic structural units of personality
Classsification of traits:
1. Common traits vs. Unique traits
• Common – possessed in some degree by all persons (e.g. intelligence, extraversion,
gregariousness)
• Unique – possessed by one or a few persons; apparent in interest and attitudes
2. Source traits vs. Surface traits
• 16 basic source traits: the building block of personality
3. Constitutional traits vs. Environmental-mold traits
4. Ability, temperament and dynamic traits
Source traits
- The underlying variables that seem to determine the surface manifestations
- Stable and permanent traits that are the basic factors of personality derived from factor analysis
Classification of source traits
1. Constitutional traits
• Depend on physiological characteristics
• Originate in biological conditions but are not necessarily innate
2. Environmental-mold traits
a. Learned from social and environmental interactions
b. Learned characteristics and behaviors that impose a pattern on personality
c. Nature and nurture
According to modality:
