Trait theories help us understand why people are different by looking at their personality traits. Traits are like patterns in how we think, feel, and act. We usually measure these traits with special tests that give us numbers, showing how people differ from each other.
Key Parts of Trait Theories:
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Traits as Ranges:
- Traits can be thought of as points on a scale.
- For example, the Big Five personality model lists five big traits:
- Openness to Experience
- Conscientiousness
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
- Each person gets a score for these traits, which helps create a complete picture of their personality.
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Research Support:
- Studies show that about 50% of our personality comes from our genes. This is based on research with twins that shows how traits can be connected to our DNA.
- Other studies have found that our traits stay mostly the same over time, showing strong connections from 0.65 to 0.90 during a 10-year follow-up.
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How Traits are Spread:
- Trait theories often use a bell curve to show how traits appear in a group of people.
- For example, with Extraversion, about 68% of people will score close to the average, falling within one standard range around the mean.
Understanding Individual Differences:
- Trait theories tell us that by knowing someone's personality traits, we can predict how they might act.
- The research on traits is consistent across different cultures, showing that these traits are important for understanding how people are different around the world.