TRAIT THEORY
Primarily Quantitative in nature
Focuses on the measurement of personality in terms of certain distinct
psychological characteristics called traits
Assumptions
Assumes that traits are common to many individuals & vary in absolute amounts
among individuals and can therefore act as a basis for segmentation
Also assumed is the fact that these traits are relatively stable & exert fairly
universal influence on behavior regardless of environmental situation
Involves construction of personality tests that bring out individual differences
Consumer behavior uses single – trait personality tests that measures just one
personality trait. It helps to study the relationship between personality and consumer
purchase decision process.
Greatest Application of this theory is in developing ‘Brand Personality’
- It has been used most widely for measuring personality because of its
quantitative approach.
- The theory states that an individual’s personality is composed of pre dispositional
attributes called traits
- A trait can be defined as any distinguishable relatively enduring way in which one
individual differs from another. Eg – Sociability relaxed style, amount of internal
control
- It includes construction of personality inventories and ask respondents to
respond to many items by agreeing/disagreeing with certain statements
Or
Expressing likes or dislikes for certain situations or types of people
- In addition personality tests such as SUSCEP (how consumers respond to social
influence) & CETSCALE (identifies consumers likelihood to accept or reject
foreign-made products) can be used to measure traits
Sigmund Freud’s Psycho Analytic Theory
- It is based on unconscious needs or drives, especially biological ones
- He proposed that much of one’s adult personality stems from a fundamental
conflict between a person’s desire to gratify his/her physical needs and the
necessity to function as a responsible member of society.
- Theory was built on person’s childhood experiences, their physical and mental
adjustment problems
- According to him, personality consists of 3 interacting systems
1. ID
source of psychic energy
seeks immediate gratification for biological & instinctual needs like hunger, sex
& self-preservation
It is conceptualized as a warehouse of primitive & impulse drives for which
individual seeks immediate satisfaction without concern for the specific
means of satisfaction
Operates on 1 principle – directing behavior to achieve pleasure & to avoid
pain
Entirely unconscious with no objective reality
2. Superego
- It is the individual’s internal expression of society’s moral & ethical codes of
conduct
- It is the leash on the id & works against its impulses
- It does not manage the id but restraints it by punishing unacceptable behavior
through the creation of guilt
- Its role is to see that individual satisfy needs in a socially acceptable manner
- It is a kind of ‘break’ that inhibits the impulsive forces of the id
3. Ego
- It is the individual’s self concept
- is the manifestation of objective reality as it develops after interaction with the
external world
- is the individual’s conscious control
- it functions as an internal monitor that attempts to balance the impulsive
demands of the id and the socio-cultural constraints of the super ego
According to this theory,
1. ego manages the conflicting demands of the id and superego
2. when the child manages these conflicts (sp. Sexual conflicts) then this determines
the adult personality
3. but if conflicts are not resolved in childhood, then this will result in defense
mechanisms and will influence later behavior
4. defense mechanisms are strategies that ego uses to reduce tensions
Non-Freudian Theory/ Socio-psychological Theory
- it recognizes the interdependence of the individual and the society
- individual strives to meet the needs of the society whereas society helps the
individual to attain his goals
- it is based on the assumption that social relationships help in development of
personality
- some of the observations of this approach are
1. human beings seek to attain ration goals called style of life (Alfred Adler)
2. people attempt to establish rewarding relationships with others (harry Sullivan)
3. Impact of child-parent relationships and individual’s desire to conquer
anxiety(Horney)
Horney said that individuals can be classified into –
- Compliant = who move towards others, desire to be loved, wanted & appreciated
- Aggressive = who move against others, desire to excel & win admiration
- Detached = who move away from others, desire independence, self-sufficiency &
freedom from obligations
According to this theory,
Individual & society is interlinked
Disagrees with freud’s contention that personality is primarily instinctual & sexual
in nature
Social relationships are fundamental to the formation & development of
personality
Alfred Adler – foremost proponent of this social orientation – emphasized that
individual’s strive for superiority in a social context and individual’s efforts to
overcome feelings of inferiority
