A study on the structure of conceptual representations of trait terms in everyday Japanese language

HIROKO ISAKA

doi:10.4992/psycholres1954.34.77

HIROKO ISAKA

Author information

Keywords: conceptual representations, personality traits, everyday language, “Big Five” factors, circular representation

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1992 Volume 34 Issue 3 Pages 77-88

DOI https://doi.org/10.4992/psycholres1954.34.77

Details

Published: January 25, 1993 Received: March 15, 1991 Available on J-STAGE: February 24, 2009 Accepted: September 05, 1992 Advance online publication: - Revised: -
Correction information
Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The structure of conceptual representations of personality traits was investigated using the 75 trait terms in everyday language which were previously employed for the ratings for actual people (Isaka, 1990). Subjects were asked to estimate how possible it is for each of 75 traits to coexist with the other 74 traits. The three factors obtained corresponding to the common “Big Five” factors (e. g., Norman, 1963) were; 1) Extroversion with a negative connotation, 2) Kindness/Agreeableness, and 3) Dominance and Industriousness/Conscientiousness. The multi-dimensional analysis showed the circular representation of those traits, with seven clusters derived from cluster analysis dividing the circle. This circle was similar to those previously illustrated for the interpersonal traits (e. g., Leary, 1957). These findings suggest that people's conceptual representation of traits is more schematic and simpler than that of actual person perception.
Right : The structure of conceptual representations of personality traits was investigated using the 75 trait terms in everyday language which were previously employed for the ratings for actual people (Isaka, 1990). Subjects were asked to estimate how possible it is for each of 75 traits to coexist with the other 74 traits. The three factors obtained corresponding to the common “Big Five” factors (e.g., Norman, 1963) were; 1) Extroversion with a negative connotation, 2) Kindness/Agreeableness, and 3) Dominance and Industriousness/Conscientiousness. The multi-dimensional analysis showed the circular representation of those traits, with seven clusters derived from cluster analysis dividing the circle. This circle was similar to those previously illustrated for the interpersonal traits (e.g., Leary, 1957). These findings suggest that people's conceptual representation of traits is more schematic and simpler than that of actual person perception.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Allport, G. W., & Odbert, H. S. 1936 Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monograph, 47.
Aoki, T. 1974 A dictionary of describing individual characteristics; A technique and language for descriptions of personality. Diamond Press. (In Japanese)
Aoki, T. 1976 Personality structures constructed from a questionnaire containing many personality spheres. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 239-249. (In Japanese with English summary)
Botwin, M. D., & Buss, D. M. 1989 The structure of act report data: Is the five factor model of personality recaptured? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 988-1001.
Costa, P. T., Jr., & MaCrae, R. R. 1988 Personality in adulthood; A six year longitudinal study of self-reports and spouse ratings on the NEO Personality Inventory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 253-263.
D'Andrade, R. G. 1965 Trait psychology and componential analysis. American Anthropology, 67, 215-228.
Digman, J. M., & Inouye, J. 1986 Further specification of the five robust factors of personality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 116-123.
Digman, J. M., & Takemoto-Chock, N. K. 1981 Factors in the natural language of personality: Re-analysis, comparison, and interpretation of six major studies. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16, 149-170.
Fiske, D. W. 1949 Consistency of the factorial structures of personality ratings from different sources. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 44, 329-344.
Goldberg, L. R. 1981 Language and individual differences; The search for universals in personality lexicons. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (vol. 2). Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications. Pp. 141-165.
Hayashi, F. 1979 A multidimensional approach to the measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure: An application of the INDSCAL model. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 50, 211-218. (In Japanese with English summary)
Hayashi, F. 1982 The measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure (8): Relationships between cognitive dimensions and some personality variables. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 22, 1-9. (In Japanese with English summary)
Higgins, E. T., Herman, C. P., & Zanna, M. P. (Eds.) 1981 Social cognition: The Ontario symposium. Vol. 1. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Isaka, H. 1990 Factor analysis of trait terms in everyday Japanese Language. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 115-124.
John, O. P. 1990 The “big five” factor taxonomy: Dimensions of personality in the natural language and in questionnaires. In L. Pervin (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research. New York: Guilford Press. Pp. 66-100.
Leary, T. 1957 Interpersonal diagnosis of personality. New York: Ronald Press.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1985 Comparison of EPI and Psychoticism scale with measures of the five factor model of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 587-597.
McCrae, A. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1987 Validation of the five-factor model of personality across instruments and observers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 81-90.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1989 The structure of interpersonal traits: Wiggins' circumplex and the five factor model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56,586-595.
McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Jr., & Bush, C. M. 1986 Evaluating comprehensiveness in personality systems: The California Q-sort and the five factor model. Journal of Personality, 54, 430-446.
Mischel, W. 1968 Personality and assessment. New York: Wiley.
Nakazato, H., Bond, M. H., & Shiraishi, D. 1976 Dimensions of personality perception: An examination of Norman's hypothesis. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 139-148.
Norman, W. T. 1963 Toward an adequate taxonomy of personality attribute: Replicated factor structures in peer nomination personality ratings. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 66, 574-583.
Osgood, C. E. 1962 Studies on the generality of affective meaning systems. American Psychologist, 17, 10-28.
Passini, F. T., & Norman, W. T. 1966 A universal conception of personality structure? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 44-49.
Peabody, D. 1984 Personality dimensions through traits inference. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 384-403.
Peabody, D., & Goldberg, L. R. 1989 Some determinants of factor structures from personality-trait descriptors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 552-567.
Rosenberg, S., & Sedlak, A 1972 Structural representations of implicit personality theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol. 6. New York: Academic Press. Pp. 235-297.
Shweder, R. A. 1975 How relevant is an individual difference theory of personality? Journal of Personality, 43, 455-484.
Wiggins, J. S., Philips, N., & Trapnell, P. 1989 Circular reasoning about interpersonal behavior: Evidence concerning some untested assumptions underlying diagnostic classification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 296-305.
Wiggins, J. S., & Trapnell, P. D. 1990 Personality structure: The return of the Big Five. In S. R. Briggs, R. Hogan & W. H. Jones (Eds.), Handbook ofpersonality psychology. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Wiggins, J. S., Trapnell, P. D., & Philips, N. 1988 Psychometric and geometric characteristics of the revised interpersonal adjective scales (IAS-R). Multivariate Behavioral Research, 23, 517-530.
Wyer, R. S., & Srull, T. K. (Eds.) 1984 Handbook of social cognition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Right : Allport, G. W., & Odbert, H. S. 1936 Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monograph, 47.
Aoki, T. 1974 A dictionary of describing individual characteristics; A technique and language for descriptions of personality. Diamond Press.(In Japanese)
Aoki, T. 1976 Personality structures constructed from a questionnaire containing many personality spheres. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 239-249.(In Japanese with English summary)
Botwin, M. D., & Buss, D. M. 1989 The structure of act report data: Is the five factor model of personality recaptured? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 988-1001.
Costa, P. T., Jr., & MaCrae, R. R. 1988 Personality in adulthood; A six year longitudinal study of self-reports and spouse ratings on the NEO Personality Inyentory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 253-263.
D'Andrade, R. G. 1965 Trait psychology and componential analysis. American Anthropology, 67, 215-228.
Digman, J. M., & Inouye, J. 1986 Further specification of the five robust factors of personality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 116-123.
Digman, J. M., & Takemoto-Chock, N. K. 1981 Factors in the natural language of personality: Re-analysis, comparison, and interpretation of six major studies. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16, 149-170.
Fiske, D. W. 1949 Consistency of the factorial structures of personality ratings from different sources. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 44, 329-344.
Goldberg, L. R. 1981 Language and individual differences; The search for universals in personality lexicons. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (vol.2). Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications. Pp.141-165.
Hayashi, F. 1979 A multidimensional approach to the measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure: An application of the INDSCAL model. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 50, 211-218.(In Japanese with English summary)
Hayashi, F. 1982 The measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure (8): Relationships between cognitive dimensions and some personality variables. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 22, 1-9.(In Japanese with English summary)
Higgins, E. T., Herman, C. P., & Zanna, M. P.(Eds.) 1981 Social cognition: The Ontario symposium. Vol.1. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Isaka, H. 1990 Factor analysis of trait terms in everyday Japanese Language. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 115-124.
John, O. P. 1990 The “big five” factor taxonomy: Dimensions of personality in the natural language and in questionnaires. In L. Pervin (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research. New York: Guilford Press. Pp.66-100.
Leary, T. 1957 Interpersonal diagnosis of personality. New York: Ronald Press.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1985 Comparison of EPI and Psychoticism scale with measures of the five factor model of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 587-597.
McCrae, A. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1987 Validation of the five-factor model of personality across instruments and observers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 81-90.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1989 The structure of interpersonal traits: Wiggins' circumplex and the five factor model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 586-595.
McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Jr., & Bush, C. M. 1986 Evaluating comprehensiveness in personality systems: The California Q-sort and the five factor model. Journal of Personality, 54, 430-446.
Mischel, W. 1968 Personality and assessment. New York: Wiley.
Nakazato, H., Bond, M. H., & Shiraishi, D. 1976 Dimensions of personality perception: An examination of Norman's hypothesis. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 139-148.
Norman, W. T. 1963 Toward an adequate taxonomy of personality attribute: Replicated factor structures in peer nomination personality ratings. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 66, 574-583.
Osgood, C. E. 1962 Studies on the generality of affective meaning systems. American Psychologist, 17, 10-28.
Passini, F. T., & Norman, W. T. 1966 A universal conception of personality structure? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 44-49.
Peabody, D. 1984 Personality dimensions through traits inference. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 384-403.
Peabody, D., & Goldberg, L. R. 1989 Some determinants of factor structures from personality-trait descriptors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 552-567.
Rosenberg, S., & Sedlak, A 1972 Structural representations of implicit personality theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol.6. New York: Academic Press. Pp.235-297.
Shweder, A. A. 1975 How relevant is an individual difference theory of personality? Journal of Personality. 43, 455-484.
Wiggins, J. S., Philips, N., & Trapnell, P. 1989 Circular reasoning about interpersonal behavior: Evidence concerning some untested assumptions underlying diagnostic classification. Journal of Personality, and Social Psychology, 56, 296-305.
Wiggins, J. S., & Trapnell, P. D. 1990 Personality structure: The return of the Big Five. In S. A. Briggs, R. Hogan & W. H. Jones (Eds.), Handbook ofpersonality psychology. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Wiggins, J. S., Trapnell, P. D., & Philips, N. 1988 Psychometric and geometric characteristics of the revised interpersonal adjective scales (IAS-R). Multivariate Behavioral Research, 23, 517-530.
Wyer, A. S., & Srull, T. K. (Eds.) 1984 Handbook of social cognition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: PDF FILE Details: -

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The structure of conceptual representations of personality traits was investigated using the 75 trait terms in everyday language which were previously employed for the ratings for actual people (Isaka, 1990). Subjects were asked to estimate how possible it is for each of 75 traits to coexist with the other 74 traits. The three factors obtained corresponding to the common “Big Five” factors (e.g., Norman, 1963) were; 1) Extroversion with a negative connotation, 2) Kindness/Agreeableness, and 3) Dominance and Industriousness/Conscientiousness. The multi-dimensional analysis showed the circular representation of those traits, with seven clusters derived from cluster analysis dividing the circle. This circle was similar to those previously illustrated for the interpersonal traits (e.g., Leary, 1957). These findings suggest that people's conceptual representation of traits is more schematic and simpler than that of actual person perception.
Right : The structure of conceptual representations of personality traits was investigated using the 75 trait terms in everyday language which were previously employed for the ratings for actual people (Isaka, 1990). Subjects were asked to estimate how possible it is for each of 75 traits to coexist with the other 74 traits. The three factors obtained corresponding to the common “Big Five” factors (e. g., Norman, 1963) were; 1) Extroversion with a negative connotation, 2) Kindness/Agreeableness, and 3) Dominance and Industriousness/Conscientiousness. The multi-dimensional analysis showed the circular representation of those traits, with seven clusters derived from cluster analysis dividing the circle. This circle was similar to those previously illustrated for the interpersonal traits (e. g., Leary, 1957). These findings suggest that people's conceptual representation of traits is more schematic and simpler than that of actual person perception.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Allport, G. W., & Odbert, H. S. 1936 Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monograph, 47.
Aoki, T. 1974 A dictionary of describing individual characteristics; A technique and language for descriptions of personality. Diamond Press.(In Japanese)
Aoki, T. 1976 Personality structures constructed from a questionnaire containing many personality spheres. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 239-249.(In Japanese with English summary)
Botwin, M. D., & Buss, D. M. 1989 The structure of act report data: Is the five factor model of personality recaptured? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 988-1001.
Costa, P. T., Jr., & MaCrae, R. R. 1988 Personality in adulthood; A six year longitudinal study of self-reports and spouse ratings on the NEO Personality Inyentory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 253-263.
D'Andrade, R. G. 1965 Trait psychology and componential analysis. American Anthropology, 67, 215-228.
Digman, J. M., & Inouye, J. 1986 Further specification of the five robust factors of personality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 116-123.
Digman, J. M., & Takemoto-Chock, N. K. 1981 Factors in the natural language of personality: Re-analysis, comparison, and interpretation of six major studies. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16, 149-170.
Fiske, D. W. 1949 Consistency of the factorial structures of personality ratings from different sources. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 44, 329-344.
Goldberg, L. R. 1981 Language and individual differences; The search for universals in personality lexicons. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (vol.2). Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications. Pp.141-165.
Hayashi, F. 1979 A multidimensional approach to the measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure: An application of the INDSCAL model. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 50, 211-218.(In Japanese with English summary)
Hayashi, F. 1982 The measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure (8): Relationships between cognitive dimensions and some personality variables. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 22, 1-9.(In Japanese with English summary)
Higgins, E. T., Herman, C. P., & Zanna, M. P.(Eds.) 1981 Social cognition: The Ontario symposium. Vol.1. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Isaka, H. 1990 Factor analysis of trait terms in everyday Japanese Language. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 115-124.
John, O. P. 1990 The “big five” factor taxonomy: Dimensions of personality in the natural language and in questionnaires. In L. Pervin (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research. New York: Guilford Press. Pp.66-100.
Leary, T. 1957 Interpersonal diagnosis of personality. New York: Ronald Press.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1985 Comparison of EPI and Psychoticism scale with measures of the five factor model of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 587-597.
McCrae, A. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1987 Validation of the five-factor model of personality across instruments and observers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 81-90.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1989 The structure of interpersonal traits: Wiggins' circumplex and the five factor model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 586-595.
McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Jr., & Bush, C. M. 1986 Evaluating comprehensiveness in personality systems: The California Q-sort and the five factor model. Journal of Personality, 54, 430-446.
Mischel, W. 1968 Personality and assessment. New York: Wiley.
Nakazato, H., Bond, M. H., & Shiraishi, D. 1976 Dimensions of personality perception: An examination of Norman's hypothesis. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 139-148.
Norman, W. T. 1963 Toward an adequate taxonomy of personality attribute: Replicated factor structures in peer nomination personality ratings. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 66, 574-583.
Osgood, C. E. 1962 Studies on the generality of affective meaning systems. American Psychologist, 17, 10-28.
Passini, F. T., & Norman, W. T. 1966 A universal conception of personality structure? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 44-49.
Peabody, D. 1984 Personality dimensions through traits inference. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 384-403.
Peabody, D., & Goldberg, L. R. 1989 Some determinants of factor structures from personality-trait descriptors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 552-567.
Rosenberg, S., & Sedlak, A 1972 Structural representations of implicit personality theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol.6. New York: Academic Press. Pp.235-297.
Shweder, A. A. 1975 How relevant is an individual difference theory of personality? Journal of Personality. 43, 455-484.
Wiggins, J. S., Philips, N., & Trapnell, P. 1989 Circular reasoning about interpersonal behavior: Evidence concerning some untested assumptions underlying diagnostic classification. Journal of Personality, and Social Psychology, 56, 296-305.
Wiggins, J. S., & Trapnell, P. D. 1990 Personality structure: The return of the Big Five. In S. A. Briggs, R. Hogan & W. H. Jones (Eds.), Handbook ofpersonality psychology. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Wiggins, J. S., Trapnell, P. D., & Philips, N. 1988 Psychometric and geometric characteristics of the revised interpersonal adjective scales (IAS-R). Multivariate Behavioral Research, 23, 517-530.
Wyer, A. S., & Srull, T. K. (Eds.) 1984 Handbook of social cognition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Right : Allport, G. W., & Odbert, H. S. 1936 Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monograph, 47.
Aoki, T. 1974 A dictionary of describing individual characteristics; A technique and language for descriptions of personality. Diamond Press.(In Japanese)
Aoki, T. 1976 Personality structures constructed from a questionnaire containing many personality spheres. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 239-249.(In Japanese with English summary)
Botwin, M. D., & Buss, D. M. 1989 The structure of act report data: Is the five factor model of personality recaptured? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 988-1001.
Costa, P. T., Jr., & MaCrae, R. R. 1988 Personality in adulthood; A six year longitudinal study of self-reports and spouse ratings on the NEO Personality Inventory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 253-263.
D'Andrade, R. G. 1965 Trait psychology and componential analysis. American Anthropology, 67, 215-228.
Digman, J. M., & Inouye, J. 1986 Further specification of the five robust factors of personality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 116-123.
Digman, J. M., & Takemoto-Chock, N. K. 1981 Factors in the natural language of personality: Re-analysis, comparison, and interpretation of six major studies. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16, 149-170.
Fiske, D. W. 1949 Consistency of the factorial structures of personality ratings from different sources. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 44, 329-344.
Goldberg, L. R. 1981 Language and individual differences; The search for universals in personality lexicons. In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology (vol.2). Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications. Pp.141-165.
Hayashi, F. 1979 A multidimensional approach to the measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure: An application of the INDSCAL model. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 50, 211-218.(In Japanese with English summary)
Hayashi, F. 1982 The measurement of individual differences in interpersonal cognitive structure (8): Relationships between cognitive dimensions and some personality variables. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 22, 1-9.(In Japanese with English summary)
Higgins, E. T., Herman, C. P., & Zanna, M. P.(Eds.) 1981 Social cognition: The Ontario symposium. Vol.1. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Isaka, H. 1990 Factor analysis of trait terms in everyday Japanese Language. Personality and Individual Differences, 11, 115-124.
John, O. P. 1990 The “big five” factor taxonomy: Dimensions of personality in the natural language and in questionnaires. In L. Pervin (Ed.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research. New York: Guilford Press. Pp.66-100.
Leary, T. 1957 Interpersonal diagnosis of personality. New York: Ronald Press.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1985 Comparison of EPI and Psychoticism scale with measures of the five factor model of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 587-597.
McCrae, A. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1987 Validation of the five-factor model of personality across instruments and observers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 81-90.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. 1989 The structure of interpersonal traits: Wiggins' circumplex and the five factor model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 586-595.
McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Jr., & Bush, C. M. 1986 Evaluating comprehensiveness in personality systems: The California Q-sort and the five factor model. Journal of Personality, 54, 430-446.
Mischel, W. 1968 Personality and assessment. New York: Wiley.
Nakazato, H., Bond, M. H., & Shiraishi, D. 1976 Dimensions of personality perception: An examination of Norman's hypothesis. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 47, 139-148.
Norman, W. T. 1963 Toward an adequate taxonomy of personality attribute: Replicated factor structures in peer nomination personality ratings. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 66, 574-583.
Osgood, C. E. 1962 Studies on the generality of affective meaning systems. American Psychologist, 17, 10-28.
Passini, F. T., & Norman, W. T. 1966 A universal conception of personality structure? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 44-49.
Peabody, D. 1984 Personality dimensions through traits inference. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 384-403.
Peabody, D., & Goldberg, L. R. 1989 Some determinants of factor structures from personality-trait descriptors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 552-567.
Rosenberg, S., & Sedlak, A 1972 Structural representations of implicit personality theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol.6. New York: Academic Press. Pp.235-297.
Shweder, R. A. 1975 How relevant is an individual difference theory of personality? Journal of Personality, 43, 455-484.
Wiggins, J. S., Philips, N., & Trapnell, P. 1989 Circular reasoning about interpersonal behavior: Evidence concerning some untested assumptions underlying diagnostic classification. Journal of Personality, and Social Psychology, 56, 296-305.
Wiggins, J. S., & Trapnell, P. D. 1990 Personality structure: The return of the Big Five. In S. R. Briggs, R. Hogan & W. H. Jones (Eds.), Handbook of personality psychology. Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
Wiggins, J. S., Trapnell, P. D., & Philips, N. 1988 Psychometric and geometric characteristics of the revised interpersonal adjective scales (IAS-R). Multivariate Behavioral Research, 23, 517-530.
Wyer, R. S., & Srull, T. K.(Eds.) 1984 Handbook of social cognition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Abstract

The structure of conceptual representations of personality traits was investigated using the 75 trait terms in everyday language which were previously employed for the ratings for actual people (Isaka, 1990). Subjects were asked to estimate how possible it is for each of 75 traits to coexist with the other 74 traits. The three factors obtained corresponding to the common “Big Five” factors (e. g., Norman, 1963) were; 1) Extroversion with a negative connotation, 2) Kindness/Agreeableness, and 3) Dominance and Industriousness/Conscientiousness. The multi-dimensional analysis showed the circular representation of those traits, with seven clusters derived from cluster analysis dividing the circle. This circle was similar to those previously illustrated for the interpersonal traits (e. g., Leary, 1957). These findings suggest that people's conceptual representation of traits is more schematic and simpler than that of actual person perception.

Corresponding author

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