A biography of a social reformer says that his whole life revolved around one goal, the removal of untouchability. The goal became so linked with his name that people began to speak of a 'Rao-ian' way of life. The psychologist whose theory names this kind of disposition also held that traits:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → act as intervening variables between the stimulus situation and the response of the person
Option (1) form a set of five factors useful in understanding personality across cultures — Incorrect. This is the Five-Factor Model of Paul Costa and Robert McCrae.
Option (2) are sixteen primary or source traits found through factor analysis — Incorrect. This is Raymond Cattell's view. He used factor analysis on descriptive adjectives and found 16 source traits, measured by the 16PF.
Option (3) can be reduced to two broad dimensions that are biologically and genetically based — Incorrect. This is H.J. Eysenck's theory. His two dimensions are neuroticism vs. emotional stability and extraversion vs. introversion.
Option (4) act as intervening variables between the stimulus situation and the response of the person — Correct. A disposition around which a person's entire life revolves, linked to his name, is a cardinal trait. This term comes from Gordon Allport. Allport saw traits as intervening variables between the situation and the person's response.
NCERT (2026-27): “Allport’s Trait Theory “While Allport acknowledged the influence of situations on behaviour, he held that the way a person reacts to given situations depends on her/his traits, although people sharing the same traits might express them in different ways. Allport considered traits more like intervening variables that occur between the stimulus situation and response of the person. …” |