Cattle’s trait theory

Cattle’s trait theory

·        Raymond B. Cattell (1973)

·        American researcher

·        Structure of personality inferred from behaviour in different situations.

·        Trait theorist Raymond Cattell reduced the number of main personality traits from Allport’s initial list of over 4,000 down to 171, mostly by eliminating uncommon traits and combining common characteristics.

·        According to Cattell's research, human personality traits could be summarized by 16 personality factors (PF) or main traits.

Cattell's 16 Personality Factors

1.      Abstractedness imaginative versus practical

2.      Apprehension insecure versus complacent

3.      Dominance aggressive versus passive

4.      Emotional Stability calm and stable versus high-strung and

5.      Liveliness enthusiastic versus serious

6.      Openness to Change liberal versus traditional

7.      Perfectionism compulsive and controlled versus indifferent

8.      Privateness pretentious versus unpretentious

9.      Reasoning abstract versus concrete

10. Rule Consciousness moralistic versus free-thinking

11. Self-Reliance leader versus follower

12. Sensitivity sensitive versus tough-minded

13. Social Boldness uninhibited versus timid

14. Tension driven and tense versus relaxed and easy going

15. Vigilance suspicious versus accepting

16. Warmth open and warmhearted versus aloof and critical

He classified traits in to four categories namely Common traits, Unique traits, Surface traits and Source traits.

Common traits

·        The trait found widely distributed in general population like honesty, aggression and cooperation.

Unique traits

·        Trait unique to a person such as temperamental traits, emotional reactions

Surface traits

·        These can be recognized easily by overt manifestation of behaviour. Ex: curiosity, dependability, truthfulness etc.

Source traits

·        These are underlining structures or sources that determine the behaviour of the individual. Ex: dominance, submission, emotionality etc.

·        Cattell used the technique of factor analysis to predict human behaviour related to specific situation.

R = s₁T₁+ s₂T₂+ s₃T₃……. s_nT_n

R = Behaviour

s = modified by the importance of the

trait for that response

T= Source trait

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