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Definition
In Cattell’s theory of personality, one way of classifying traits is as surface traits or source traits. Source traits must be inferred through statistical techniques, such as factor analysis, whereas surface traits can be observed directly. According to Cattell, source traits can be considered the “building blocks” of personality and are responsible for the surface traits seen in individuals. Overall, Cattell identified 16 source traits in his research on basic personality traits.
Introduction
The field of personality psychology focuses on studying how psychological differences between individuals (i.e., personality traits) can predict behaviors. Specifically, trait theories of personality focus on human personality as being composed of several “traits” or individual characteristics that influence one’s values, attitudes, emotions, and behaviors. Until Raymond Cattell’s research, however, no attempt had been made to discover the “building...
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References
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Johnson, L. (2019). Source Trait. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_2120-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_2120-1
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