Personality Theory

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One approach to help you an essay assignment thin one is to provide information for the two section, which you can drawn on for your final copy. This keeps within the BrainMass policy to "help and guidance" without "doing" the assignment for the student, which is not allowed. You will need to have a conclusion summing up main points in each section. I used some outside sources because the chapter did not have much on theories.

RESPONSE:

o Examine theoretical approaches in studying personality.

A theory is a set of related assumptions. These assumptions are accepted as true even thought they have not been validated so researchers can test if they are true. Through this process, scientists conduct useful research, and they use the results to build and reshape the original theory. The research proposes specific hypothesis to test that are testable. Different researcher test different hypothesis and come up different theoretical approached in studying personality. Theorist makes different assumptions from a unique point of view. (attached Chapter)

Trait approach to studying personality suggests that personality is made up of a number of broad traits or dispositions. In fact, it is one of the major theoretical areas in the study of personality. Examples of trait theories include Gordon Allport's Trait Theory, Raymond Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor, and The "Big Five" Personality Dimensions. A trait is considered a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways. Unlike many other theories of personality, such as psychoanalytic or humanistic theories, the trait approach to the study of personality is focused ...