A Glossary of Descriptive Psychology Concepts

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Trait

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Content about this concept, including this numbered list:
  1. To have a given trait is to be disposed to engage in a certain kind of behavior.
  2. Any behavior may be the basis for a trait description. Given a type of behavior, either a low frequency pattern of occurrence or a high frequency pattern of occurrence will generate trait descriptions. Low-X and high-X will be different traits.
  3. Can be seen as a Interest without an "object" (focus).
  4. One of the four Dispositions.
notes
A brave, generous, or hostile person is one in whose life history brave, generous, or hostile behaviors (respectively) occur with greater frequency than in the lives of other persons, other things being equal. How much "greater frequency" is enough? Well, (1) more than you would expect from just anyone in those same circumstances and (2) enough more to be worth commenting on. Ultimately, this is a community standard and will vary from community to community, as with most things.