How many adjectives can you use to describe a person? Try it!

2. How many adjectives can you use to describe a person? • Try it!

3. The Essential-Trait Approach • Odbert and Allport found over 4,500 adjectives that describe personality traits • 17,953 adjectives overall (but some were not traits) • Are all of these really independent of each other? • Essential Approach tries to find how many and which traits are essential

4. Allport and Odbert (1936) 17,953 trait terms Cattell (1943) Factor analysis finds 35 clusters Fiske (1949) Factor analysis results in 5 factors Tupes & Christal (1961) Replicate Fiske Norman (1963) replicates Tupes & Christal, and writes a review about these “big five” traits Surgency (extraversion) Agreeableness Conscientiousness Emotional stability Culture The Big Five:History

5. Essential Trait • Big-Five Inventory

6. E 1, 11, 16, 26, 36 R 6, 21, 31 A 7, 17, 22, 32, 42 R 2,12, 27, 37 C 3, 13, 28, 33, 38 R 8, 18, 23, 43 N 4, 14, 19, 29, 39 R 9, 24, 34 O 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 44 R 35, 41 R 1 = 5 2 = 4 3 = 3 4 = 2 5 = 1

7. Agreeableness Trust Straightforwardness Altruism Compliance Modesty Tender-mindedness Obi-Wan Kenobi -- This loyal, kind, and honorable young Jedi is a good man. Emperor Palpatine -- An evil, power hungry tyrant, he is manipulative, evil, and ruthless.

8. Extraversion Warmth Gregariousness Assertiveness Activity Excitement seeking Positive emotions Lando Calrissian -- An energetic, sociable man. He is adventure seeking, talkative, and socially skilled. Wampas -- reclusive creatures of the ice planet Hoth. They are rarely seen & generally shy, leading a solitary existence

9. Competence Order Dutifulness Achievement striving Self-discipline Deliberation Conscientiousness Admiral Ackbar -- This rebel Admiral is renowned for his great powers of organization, responsibility, and administrative abilities. He is individual who can be relied upon. Han Solo -- This disheveled and scruffy smuggler leads a reckless and haphazard life, with little respect for rules and procedures.

10. Neuroticism Anxiety Angry hostility Depression Self-consciousness Impulsiveness Vulnerability Princess Leia -- A confident & calm individual who does not crack under pressure (e.g.,. when being threatened by Lord Vader). She is brave and relaxed, even when in great danger (e.g., when disguising herself as a bounty hunter to gain access to Jabba the Hutt’s palace). Tusken warriors -- These inhabitants of Tatooine are unpredictable, temperamental, and excitable, and known to be especially moody.

11. Openness to Experience Fantasy Aesthetics Feelings Actions Ideas Values Yoda -- This wise, philosophical, and thoughtful Jedi master challenges the establishment, encouraging his pupils to unlearn what they have learned and see the world in novel, creative ways. C-3PO -- This droid versed in political protocol of thousands of cultures is governed by rules and prefers not to meddle with the ways and traditions of his hosts.

12. The Big Five • Also known as the Five-Factor Model • Extraversion • Agreeableness • Conscientiousness • Neuroticism • Openness to Experience • OCEAN

13. Example • Preadolscent girls and risk behavior • Markey, Markey, and Tinsley 2003 • Subjects were 60 girls • 5th grade mothers completed BFI and girls pubertal development was assessed • 6th grade girls reported engagement in risky behaviors • e.g., smoking, drinking, deep kissing, etc.

14. Results

15. Results

16. Results • Demonstrates predictive power of the Big-5 • Demonstrate show traits can interact with other elements (e.g., pubertal development) to create different behaviors

18. Using Traits to Understand Behavior • Different approaches: • The Single-Trait Approach • The Many-Trait Approach • The Essential-Trait Approach • The Simultaneous-Trait Approach

19. The Simultaneous-Trait Approach • Trait approaches tend to be “one-dimensional” • They only consider one trait at a time • “He is extraverted” • Pro: Simple and automatic • Con: Not all extraverts act the same

20. The Simultaneous-Trait Approach • An “extraverted” and “agreeable” person • An “extraverted” and “disagreeable” person

21. The Simultaneous-Trait Approach • An “extraverted” and “agreeable” person • Warm • An “extraverted” and “disagreeable” person • Controlling

22. The Simultaneous-Trait Approach • This approach examines how traits “blend” together within an individual

23. The Interpersonal Sphere • Ask yourself: • High (+) • Moderate (0) • Low (-) • How dominant are you? • How warm are you?

24. Interpersonal Circumplex Cold Warm - 0 +

25. Interpersonal Circumplex Dominant + 0 - Submissive

26. Interpersonal Circumplex Dominant Cold Warm Submissive

27. Interpersonal Circumplex

28. Participants n = 184 (50% female; 50% male) Age M = 19.62 Range 17 to 29 years old Markey & Funder, 2002

29. Behaviors Relevant to Agency and Communion • Each participant interacted in three different situations with an opposite sex stranger

30. Coding Behaviors • For each interaction, 64 social behaviors were coded by four different judges • e.g., “Speaks quickly” “Displays ambition” “Offers advice”

31. Warm-Agreeable • Seems to enjoy the interaction • Seems to like the other person • Expresses warmth • Behaves in a cheerful manner • Makes or approaches physical contact

32. Gregarious-Extraverted • Exhibits social skills • Interviews their partner • Is talkative • Engages in constant eye contact • Initiates humor

33. Assured-Dominant • Tries to control the interaction • Dominates the interaction • Shows a wide range of interests • Appears relaxed and comfortable • Volunteers a large amount of information about self

34. Arrogant-Calculating • Exhibits condescending behaviors • Speaks in a loud voice • Speaks quickly • Talks at rather than with partner

35. Cold-Hearted • Expresses criticism • Keeps partner at a distance • Acts irritated • Speaks sarcastically • Tries to undermine, sabotage, or obstruct

36. Aloof-Introverted • Reserved and unexpressive • Seems detached from the interaction • Shows physical signs of tension • Exhibits awkward interpersonal style • Expresses insecurity (overly sensitive)

37. Unassured-Submissive • Expresses guilt • Behaves in a fearful or timid manner • Expresses self pity or feelings of victimization

38. Unassuming-Ingenuous • Laughs frequently • Seeks reassurance from others • Smiles frequently • Expresses agreement frequently

39. Applying the Interpersonal Circumplex to predict important childhood events Markey, Markey, & Tinsley, 2004

40. Method • Participates • 117 preadolescent children • 52 girls, and 65 boys • All were in the 4th grade (M = 9.88). • Each child was videotaped interacting with his or her parent(s).

41. Coding Behaviors • Children were coded using the Interpersonal Circumplex

42. Method • One year after study 1 children were asked to complete the Risk Behavior Assessment • 94 completed the assessment (M = 10.87 years)

43. Method • Asked if they had participated in the following behaviors • Smoked a cigarette (9% had) • Consumed alcohol (22% had)

44. “Risky” Child

46. Interpersonal Circumplex • Note: the IC measures 2 FFM traits • By using only 2 traits you can actually measure 8 personality characteristics • This number can actually be even larger!

48. Interpersonal Circumplex By using only 2 traits you can actually measure 8 personality characteristics

49. What if another dimension is added? • What if we add another dimension to the IC? • Consider 3 dimensions simultaneously Markey & Markey, 2006

50. What is the best dimension to add?