Raymond Cattell
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- complex statistical technique based on the concept of correlation which Cattell (and Eysenck) used to discover and investigate personality traits
- factor analysis (uses correlation, correlation coefficient,etc..)
- a method (exemplified in Cattell\'s research) that begins w/ collection of data, which then leads to hypotheses
- Inductive reasoning
- L- life record demographic data (age,gender,race, etc..)
- L-Data
- Q- questionnaire Questionnaires where subjects rare themselves on various characteristics & also performance on self-report inventories
- Q-Data
- T- Test data is gathered in situations where subject doesn\'t know what aspect of their behavior is being evaluated
- T-Data
- display of the many correlation coefficients that result when many sources of info (data) are intercorrelated
- correlation matrix
- systematic search of a correlation matrix in order to discover factors
- cluster analysis
- Cattell used a Nomothetic approach towards factor analysis-->2 types
- R-technique and P-technique
- type of factor analysis where many subjects are measured on many variables and the scores intercorrelated
- R-technique
- type of factor analysis that traces the strength of several traits over a period of time for the same person
- P-technique
- Cattell thought these were the building blocks of personality and are the most important concept in his theory
- traits 2 types: Surface and Source
- outward manifestations of source traits. These are the characteristics of a person that can be directly observed and measured
- surface traits
- constitute a person\'s personality structure and are thus the ultimate causes of behavior
- source traits (causally related to surface traits)
- genetically determined source trait
- Constitutional source trait
- source trait that is determined by experience rather than heredity
- Environmental-mold trait
- trait that determines how effectively a person works toward a desired goal. Intelligence is such a trait...2 types: fluid intelligence crystallized intelligence
- Ability trait
- general problem-solving ability that is largely innate
- fluid intelligence
- type of intelligence that comes from formal education or general experience. Most intelligence tests attempt to measure this
- crystallized intelligence
- constitutional source trait that determines a person\'s emotionality and style of behaving. Determine the speed, energy, and emotion with which a person responds to a situation
- temperament trait
- motivational trait that sets a person in motion toward a goal. Cattell postulated the existence of 2 types of dynamic traits: -Ergs -Metaergs
- dynamic trait
- constitutional dynamic source trait that provides the energy for all behavior, similar to a Primary Drive (hunger, thirst)
- Erg
- environmental-mold, dynamic source trait. Similar to secondary or learned drives. consist of: -attitudes -sentiments
- Metaerg
- learned predisposition to respond to a class of objects or events in a certain way. (career,sports,religion etc..) One type of Metaerg
- sentiment
- concern for oneself that is a prerequisite to the pursuit of any goal in life. Organizes the entire personality
- self-sentiment
- a tendency to respond in a particular way in a particular situation to a particular object or event. derived from a sentiment
- attitude
- Consists of 3 aspects: -learning -importance of early experience -syntality
- Cattell\'s multiple influence approach of Personality Development
- -classical conditioning -instrumental conditioning -structured learning
- the 3 types of learning involved in personality dev\'t (Cattell)
- type of learning in which a stimulus that did not originally elicit a response is made to do so.
- classical conditioning
- learning to make a response that will either make a reward available or remove an aversive stimulus
- instrumental conditioning
- type of learning that results in rearranging one\'s personality traits. Cattell believes this is the most important type of learning
- structured learning
- description of the traits that characterize a group or a nation
- Syntality
- Cattell suggested 2 reasons for psychopathology:
- 1) an abnormal imbalance of the normal personality traits 2) the possession of abnormal traits that are not found among normal individuals
- Cattell: empirical research -believed a theory of personality is of little value unless it can predict behavior
- predictive science
- Empirically, Cattell also believed that behavior is a function of a finite # of variables, and if those variables were completely known, behavior could be predicted with complete accuracy
- Determinism
- criticisms of Cattell\'s theory include:
- -too subjective -behavior is not as consistent as factor theories suggest -excessive emphasis on groups and averages
- Cattell\'s contribution to the psychology field:
- Beyondism: Cattell\'s proposal that scientific facts be utilized to create moral systems rather than religious illusions or philosophical speculation