Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Eigenschaften / Español: Rasgos / Português: Traços / Français: Traits / Italiano: Tratti /

Traits refer to a characteristic behaviors and feelings that are consistent and long lasting. Traits refers to enduring or persistent characteristics of an individual that are independent of situations.

To Allport, Traits are the distinguishing characteristics that guide behavior. Traits are measured on a continuum and are subject to social, environmental, and cultural influences. To Cattell, Traits are reaction tendencies, derived by the method of factor analysis, that are relatively permanent parts of the personality.

Description

Traits in psychology refer to enduring patterns of thought, behavior, and emotion that are relatively stable across different situations and over time. These traits can influence how individuals interact with others, handle stress, and approach life in general. They are thought to be influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and experiential factors. Traits can be classified into different categories, such as the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism), which are commonly used to describe and assess individual differences in personality.

Application Areas

• Personality assessment
• Job performance prediction
• Therapy planning
• Relationship counseling
• Drug addiction prevention

Treatment and Risks

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Medication management
• Risks of overgeneralization
• Risks of stigmatization

Examples

• High levels of extraversion leading to social success
• Low levels of conscientiousness resulting in procrastination
• High levels of neuroticism increasing susceptibility to anxiety disorders

Similar Concepts and Synonyms

• Personality traits
• Characteristics
• Dispositions

Articles with 'Traits' in the title

• Central traits: Central traits refer to the core traits that characterize an individual personality - the handful of outstanding traits that describe a person's behavior
• Constitutional traits: Constitutional traits refer to source traits that depend on our physiological characteristics. In psychology, constitutional traits refer to the individual differences in personality that are believed to be innate, genetic or biologically . . .
• Environmental-mold traits: Environmental-mold traits refer to source traits that are learned from social and environmental interactions. In the psychology context, "environmental-mold traits" refer to personality traits that are shaped by environmental factors, such . . .
• Threshold Traits Analysis: Threshold Traits Analysis refers to a 33-item questionnaire developed by Lopez that identifies traits necessary to perform a job successfully. Threshold Traits Analysis is a statistical method used in psychology to determine the existence a . . .

Summary

Traits in psychology refer to enduring patterns of thought, behavior, and emotion that influence how individuals interact with others and approach life. These traits are relatively stable over time and can be influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

--