Renowned British-American psychologist Raymond Cattell is widely recognized for his seminal
research on personality and intelligence, particularly for developing the 16PF personality model.
Cattell's theory endeavours to elucidate the complex interactions between the personality system
and the broader sociocultural context. He proposed that a thorough personality model should cover
various traits, such as how genetics and the environment influence these traits and how genetic and
environmental factors combine to impact behaviour. Cattell emphasized the importance of
understanding the mechanisms and methods for evaluating these traits to provide a comprehensive
understanding of an individual's personality. This academic paper provides a brief examination of
Cattell's Personality Trait theory, elucidating its principles and the core ideas of the theory.
Cattell's trait theory consists of source and surface traits, which are categorized according to their
visibility, stability, and underlying nature. Surface traits are observable behaviors that can vary
depending on the situation and are characterized by lower stability. Traits such as difficulty
concentrating, indecisiveness, and restlessness may cluster to define neuroticism. However, these
traits are often inconsistent and lack a stable foundation, which diminishes their value for in-depth
behavioural analysis.
In contrast, fundamental structures known as source traits consistently influence behaviour across
different contexts and over time, underpinning personality. Source traits are essential, consistent
dimensions that make up the foundation of personality and have a constant impact on behaviour in
various circumstances. According to Cattell's research, there are around 16 source traits, including
warmth, reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, liveliness, rule-consciousness, social boldness,
sensitivity, vigilance, abstractness, privateness, apprehension, openness to change, self-reliance,
perfectionism, and tension. These source traits offer a more stable foundation for understanding
personality and behaviour.
1. The existence of affection, friendliness, and being empathetic to others are significant signs
of warmth, and this behavior fosters solid and positive relations with the people.
2. Reasoning is important to solving problems, understanding complicated ideas, and thinking
logically and analytically.
3. Emotional stability is the ability to maintain a consistent and calm mood all the time, stress
management, and being successful even under worst-case scenarios.
4. Dominance is the ability to be a leader, to take the front row during social interactions, and
to gain followers.
5. Being alive means having a lot of energy, being positive, and having fun and action when
living and relating to others.
6. Reliability is about honoring and respecting social rules and ethical standards hence the
implied obligation.
7. Being socially bold is about exuding self-assurance and ease in social situations, making of
friends without a blink and initiating discussions.
8. Sensitive is about being empathetic and attentive to other people, thus, by approaching their
emotions and needs in a nice and caring manner.
9. Vigilance manifests itself through persistent watchfulness and carefulness, pointing out and
considering possible dangers or inconsistencies.
10. Thinking abstractly is the art of being innovative and receptive to uncommon and fresh ideas,
therefore, embracing the imaginative aspect rather than the factual one.
11. Privacy is the act of choosing to keep personal opinions and information personal as an
indicator of a desire to keep things private.
12. Apprehension is experiencing anxiety and worry, with the fear of problems and uncertainties
arising.
13. Openness to change entails the willingness to adapt, have a go at new endeavors, and test
new ideas and situations.
14. Self-reliance refers to the capability to depend on one's own judgment and skills, indicating
independent behavior and the practice of being autonomous.
15. Perfectionism means that an individual wants to do things perfectly, and thus aspiring to
precision and accuracy.
16. Tension refers to the sensation of being stressed and anxious, often being in a state of being
overwhelmed or under pressure in tough situations.
Two main types of source traits are classified based on their origins: constitutional traits and
environmental-mold traits. Constitutional traits stem from an individual's biological and
physiological conditions, such as someone recovering from cocaine addiction showing
temporary irritability and anxiety due to physiological changes. On the other hand,
environmental-mold traits are influenced by social and physical factors, representing learned
behaviors shaped by one's environment. For example, a person brought up in a rural area
might exhibit different behaviors from those raised in an urban setting.
Cattell also divides source traits into ability, temperament, and dynamic traits. For example,
ability traits determine a person’s effectiveness and skill in reaching specific objectives, like
intelligence or musical talent. Temperament traits are related to the emotional and stylistic
aspects of behavior, such as the pace at which tasks are completed. They are considered
intrinsic traits that influence emotional reactions. Dynamic traits represent the motivational
aspects of behavior that propel individuals toward specific aims, such as ambition or a
craving for material possessions.
Furthermore, characteristics are divided into two categories: common and unique. Common
traits are exhibited by individuals within the same culture, such as self-esteem and
intelligence. Unique traits are rarer and relate to individual preferences and attitudes. Cattell
utilizes factor analysis to recognize key personality traits, collecting information from life
records (L-data), self-assessments (Q-data), and objective tests (OT-data). L-data depicts real-
world behaviors, Q-data entails self-reported emotions and thoughts, and OT-data is derived
from performance on tasks designed to minimize deception.
THE ROLES OF HERIDITY AND ENVIRONMENT
Cattell examined the roles of heredity and environment in the development of traits by utilizing
his statistical method, Multiple Abstract Variance Analysis (MAVA). This technique compares data
from identical twins raised together, non-twin siblings, and individuals raised apart to evaluate
the genetic and environmental influences on traits. The results of MAVA indicate that the genetic
contribution to traits differs, with intelligence and assertiveness showing a genetic influence of
approximately 65-70%, while traits such as conscientiousness and neuroticism exhibit about half
of that genetic influence. Cattell approximated that environmental factors shape two-thirds of
personality, with heredity contributing one-third. Additionally, he conducted research on the
traits of social groups, referred to as syntality, using factor analysis.
In summary, Cattell's extensive trait theory, which highlights the impact of both genetic and
environmental factors, offers a strong foundation for comprehending personality. His creative
application of factor analysis and MAVA illustrates the complex interaction between genetics and
the environment in molding specific traits. Cattell's theory is criticized for its complexity, reliance
on factor analysis, potential cultural bias, and difficulty in practical application due to the
extensive number of traits identified. Recent research on Cattell focuses on refining factor
analysis methods, exploring cultural applicability, and integrating his trait theory with modern
personality models.
