Which one of the following traits is NOT a part of Allport's trait theory?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Source
Gordon Allport analysed the words people use to describe themselves and others, and on this basis categorised traits into cardinal, central and secondary.
Option (1) Cardinal — Allport’s trait (Incorrect). Cardinal traits are highly generalised dispositions, the goal around which a person’s whole life revolves, such as Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence.
Option (2) Source — Not Allport’s trait (Correct). Source traits belong to Raymond Cattell. Using factor analysis on a huge array of descriptive adjectives, he found 16 primary or source traits, the stable building blocks of personality, and built the 16 PF test on them.
Option (3) Central — Allport’s trait (Incorrect). Central traits are less pervasive but still quite generalised dispositions, such as warm, sincere or diligent, the words used in a job recommendation.
Option (4) Secondary — Allport’s trait (Incorrect). Secondary traits are the least generalised characteristics, such as ‘likes mangoes’ or ‘prefers ethnic clothes’.
NCERT (2025-26): “Allport’s Trait Theory … Allport, based on this, categorised traits into cardinal, central, and secondary. Cardinal traits are highly generalised dispositions. They indicate the goal around which a person’s entire life seems to revolve. Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence and Hitler’s Nazism are examples of cardinal traits. Such traits often get associated with the name of the person so strongly that they derive such identities as the ‘Gandhian’ or ‘Hitlerian’ trait. Less pervasive in effect, but still quite generalised dispositions, are called central traits. These traits (e.g., warm, sincere, diligent, etc.) are often used in writing a testimonial or job recommendation for a person. The least generalised characteristics of a person are called secondary traits. Traits such as ‘likes mangoes’ or ‘prefers ethnic clothes’ are examples of secondary traits.…” “Cattell: Personality Factors … Raymond Cattell believed that there is a common structure on which people differ from each other. This structure could be determined empirically. He tried to identify the primary traits from a huge array of descriptive adjectives found in language. He applied a statistical technique, called factor analysis, to discover the common structures. He found 16 primary or source traits. The source traits are stable, and are considered as the building blocks of personality.…” |