Raymond Cattell used factor analysis to identify which of the following traits?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option 3: Source traits
Factor analysis is a statistical technique Cattell employed to reduce a large number of surface traits into a smaller, more fundamental number of underlying traits. He distinguished between surface traits, which are observable clusters of behavior, and source traits, which are the basic, underlying personality factors that influence these surface behaviors.
Through his extensive factor analytic research, Cattell identified 16 primary source traits, which he believed were the building blocks of personality. These are often referred to as the 16PF (16 Personality Factors).