Raymond Cattell

The Psychologist Who Put Personality Traits on the Map

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• Raymond Cattell was a British-American psychologist who made significant contributions to the fields of personality, intelligence, and multivariate statistics. He is best known for his development of the sixteen personality factor questionnaire which is a widely used personality test that measures 16 basic personality dimensions. (Shiraev 20016):  
  
  
  
  
  

1. warmth vs coldness
   
   
   
2. reasoning vs imagination
3. dominance vs submissiveness
4. liveliness vs seriousness 
5. rule-consciousness vs spontaneity
6. social boldness vs shyness
7. sensitivity vs toughness
8. vigilance vs trust
9. abstractedness vs concreteness
10. privateness vs openness to change
11. apprehension vs self-confidence
12. traditionalism vs unconventional
13. group-dependence vs self-sufficiency
14. perfectionism vs unconcern
15. intellectualism vs anti-intellectualism
16. imagination vs practicality

Cattell believed that personality traits were fundamental underlying elements of daily human behavior and experience. He used factor analysis to identify the basic dimensions of personality by studying large datasets of personality ratings and self-assessments. This work led to the development of the 16PF which is a reliable and valid personality test. 

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 Cattell contributed to the study of intelligence.

Fluid Intelligence - the ability to think abstractly and solve novel problems.

Crystalized Intelligence - the knowledge and skills that are acquired through experience 

Cattell believed that fluid intelligence is more important for success in school and in the workplace. He also believed that fluid intelligence declines with age, while crystallized intelligence can continue to increase throughout life.  (Shiraev 20016)

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Multivariate Statistics

• A set of statistical methods that are used to analyze data with multiple variables allows researchers to study complex relationships between personality traits and other variables. 
• Cattell used multivariate statistics to study the relationship between personality traits and job performance, academic achievement, and mental health.

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He is considered one of the most quoted psychologists of the 20th century and beyond.

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 References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

Gordon Allport's Legacy

The Quest for Personality: 

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 Gordon Allport

Believed that personality is unique to each individual and influenced by both internal and external factors. He developed a three-tiered model of personality traits (Shiraev 2016):

1. Cardinal traits
1.      dominant and pervasive and they shape a person's overall personality\
2. Central traits
1. less dominant but they are still important and have a significant impact on behavior
3. Secondary traits
1. Only present in certain situations and are less likely to influence overall behavior.          

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References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Personality

 Insights from the Past

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Many philosophers from the past wrote about personality traits, including David Hume and David Hartley.

Hume

Identified four most significant traits (Shiraev, 2016):  

1. 

   Pleasure Seeking                                                                   
2. Virtue Seeking
3. Philosophical devotion                    
4. Critical thinking.

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Hartley

1. imaginative
2. ambitious
3. self-interested
4. sympathetic
5. theopathetic
6. morally sensitive

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Early experimental psychologists such as Wilhelm Wundt were also interested in studying personality traits. Wundt believed that language had a big role in forming individual traits. He argued that people who spoke German as their first language were more likely to become more organized, orderly, and responsible. (Shiraev, 2016).

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Takeaway

Personality traits are relatively stable and unique characteristics that people possess

Language can play a role in shaping personality traits.

Early personality theories such as those of Hume and Hartley, shared common ground with modern trait theories of personality

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 References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World

Unraveling the Mysteries of Personality

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Ancient philosophical teachings from around the world have long considered personality to be a distinct combination of traits. For example, Buddhist thinkers identified five constituents of personality, while ancient Greek philosophers associated individual traits with different parts of the body. Many early classifications also described bodily humors as foundations of stable traits.( Shiraev, 2016)

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Ancient philosophers also developed specific theories about how personality traits are formed and influenced. Hinduism suggests various combinations of traits based on an individual's stages of development. Islamic tradition distinguishes between several levels of personality traits according to the quality of the nafs - self or soul.( Shiraev, 2016)

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Astrological explanations of personality traits were also popular in ancient times and also today. These explanations typically associate specific personality traits with celestial bodies, such as the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.

Overall, ancient philosophical teachings provide a rich and divers perspective on the nature of personality. They offer insights on how personality traits are formed, how they can be classified, and how they can influence our behavior

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References

 

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795