Raymond Cattell's 16FP Trait Theory

• Defined personality as “that which permits a prediction of what a person will do in a given situation”
• L data: Measures of the individual’s life record based on observations of other people.
• Q data: Information provided by questionnaires designed to make subjective descriptions.
• T data: Data from objective tests that measure performance such as intelligence.
• Classification of Traits

  • Source Traits (underlying traits) vs. Surface Traits

  • Common Traits (shared by many) vs. Unique Traits (peculiar to individual)

  • Temperament: How a person behaves

  • Motivation: Why a person behaves

  • Ability: How far or how fast a person can perform
• 16PF (Global Factors) 


  Extraversion Anxiety Tough-Mindedness Independence Self-Control
• NEO PI-R (“The Big Five”) 


  Extraversion Neuroticism Openness to Experience Agreeableness Conscientiousness
• Cattell: 16 primary factors-5 global scales; McRae and Costa: 5 domains-30 facets

  
• Tough-mindedness - receptivity (openness)
• Independence/accommodation - agreeableness
• self control/lack of restraint - conscientiousness
• high anxiety/low anxiety - neuroticism
• extraversion/introversion - extraversion