Practice question · Multiple choice
Mischel argued in 1968 that traits predict behaviour too weakly to be useful. Traits are still the dominant framework. How was the argument resolved?
Hints
- Ask what a trait actually claims: that you will be sociable tonight, or that you are sociable?
- The correlation rises sharply when behaviour is averaged across occasions. What does that tell you?
Show the answer
C. By separating the questions: situations per occasion, traits in aggregate
Why
A trait is a claim about aggregates, and Mischel was testing single acts, where situations genuinely dominate. Average across twenty occasions and the correlation triples. Both halves survive, which is why the resolution was a distinction rather than a winner.
Practise Introduction to Personality and Traits
The app has 6 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. Psychology I is free to start.
More questions on Introduction to Personality and Traits
- Allport described cardinal traits as rare and central traits as ordinary. Why would a personality organised…
- In modern trait theory, it is more accurate to say a person scores high or low on sociability than to say…
- Select every statement that is TRUE about personality traits.
- Cattell derived his 16 personality factors by factor-analysing the trait words in a dictionary. Why would the…
- Personality traits typically predict behaviour across situations at around r = .30, which leaves most of the…