Raymond B. Cattell's Personality Theories (continued)
PERSONALITY AS A STRUCTURE OF TRAITS
Personality is made up of traits, inferred mental structures that account for the consistency of behavior. Surface traits can be inferred from observed behavior. Source traits can be identified only by means of factor analysis, a statistical technique for detecting underlying order in a number of variables
Source traits are constitutional, residing within the person, or environmental-mold, deriving from experience.
L data, ratings by others, Q data, self-ratings, and T data, objective test results, provide the material from which three types of source traits are derived. Dynamic traits are concerned with setting the person in motion toward a goal. Temperament traits describe the manner in which the person moves towards the goal. Ability traits describe the effectiveness with which the person moves toward the goal.
Chains of subsidiation link the three types of dynamic traits: attitudes serve sentiments and ergs; sentiments, organized structures of attitudes, serve ergs and other sentiments. Ergs are constitutional source traits and correspond roughly to drives. Attitudes and sentiments are largely environmental-mold source traits.
