Psychology Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Density Distribution Approach: The Density Distribution Approach aims to take into account and explain individual changes in people's behavior that can occur in specific situations compared to rigidly ascribed personality traits. See also Personality traits, Behavior, Personality, Situations._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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William Fleeson on Density Distribution Approach - Dictionary of Arguments
Corr II 228 Density Distribution Approach/Fleeson/Rauthmann/Schmitt: In his classic article on traits as density distributions of states, Fleeson (2001)(1) advocates the integration of dynamic personality processes into structural personality trait models. >Personality traits, >Dimensional approach. II 229 Despite this support for the traditional trait model, Fleeson claims that traits provide only limited personality descriptions because short-termed intra-individual changes in behavioral manifestations of traits are ignored. These intra-individual changes, as Fleeson argues in line with dynamic personality theories (Mischel & Shoda, 1998)(2), are systematic and lawful. They reflect adaptive reactions of an individual to specific situational opportunities and demands. >Situations, >Situations/Mischel. Fleeson proposes that comprehensive personality descriptions require the simultaneous consideration of both traits and states. Fleeson defines traits as density distributions of the frequency with which states are expressed in a certain intensity. Several intra-individual density distributions from single individuals can be aggregated to an inter-individual density distribution. Such a density distribution is nomothetic and describes average within-person trait-expressions in states. >Nomothetic/idiographic. Notably, both intra- and inter-individual density distributions describe and condense processes within people. All of these distributions have different parameters, pertaining to extreme values (…). (…) inter-individual differences can, in a next step, be explained by traits. [E.g.] trait extraversion should predict state extraversion. >Behavior, >Extraversion. II 230 Such a density distribution approach to personality can demonstrate several things that neither a structure- nor a process-focused approach can do on its own. First, state-levels of an individual can deviate from the corresponding trait-level and often do so. In other words, at many different times throughout the day, we are in our states not necessarily the persons we are in our traits. Second, the trait-level often captures to a large degree the average, most frequent, or most typical state-level of a person. II 231 Third, small deviations of state-levels from the trait-level occur more frequently than large deviations. This means, for instance, that a moderately extraverted person with an extraversion trait-level of 4 on a 7-point scale will most often display level 4 behavior and more often level 3 and level 5 behavior as compared to level 2 or level 6 behavior. >Personality/Traits. 1. Fleeson, W. (2001). Towards a structure- and process-integrated view of personality: Traits as density distributions of states. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 1011–1027. 2. Mischel, W., & Shoda, Y. (1998). Reconciling processing dynamics and personality dispositions. Annual Review of Psychology, 49, 229–258. Rauthmann, John F.; Schmitt, Manfred: “Personality Traits as State Density Distributions Revisiting Fleeson (2001)”, In: Philip J. Corr (Ed.) 2018. Personality and Individual Differences. Revisiting the classical stuies. Singapore, Washington DC, Melbourne: Sage, pp. 224-244._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Fleeson, William Corr I Philip J. Corr Gerald Matthews The Cambridge Handbook of Personality Psychology New York 2009 Corr II Philip J. Corr (Ed.) Personality and Individual Differences - Revisiting the classical studies Singapore, Washington DC, Melbourne 2018 |
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> Counter arguments against Fleeson
> Counter arguments in relation to Density Distribution Approach
